Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans

11/08/08

Smokey and Loud!

by lapartieevents at Citysearch

SMOKING

I'm staying at the Royal Sonesta right now and I'm unhappy with it. The main thing is that I'm in a non-smoking room but someone either above or next to me has been smoking non-stop for days and my entire room is filled with smoke. The walls must be really thin. They won't switch rooms for me because "non-smoking rooms are right next to smoking rooms throughout the hotel" and there's "nothing they can do about it." I don't think that's an acceptable response. Additionally, they have a plane of glass over the window so I can't open it and air the place out!

LOCAITON

It's right on Borboun Street, so if you're here to party in the cheesy bars, you might like the location. I liked seeing Bourbon once but there are so many great places to visit in New Orleans that I now wish my hotel were in another, less crowded and loud area of the French Quarter. We visited the Bourbon Orleans for a meeting yesterday and it was really charming!

DECOR / AMBIANCE

I also don't like the stuffiness of the hotel. It's not stuffy in the snooty sense but the frilly decor is over the top and the staff are required to wear cheesy antebellum jackets, etc. Not loving it.

DESIRE OYSTER BAR

I do like this restaurant. The service was friendly. It was clean, with cute French Bistro decor and the food was good. It looks out onto Borboun Street for good people watching.

PARKING

Expensive and extremely tight spots.

• Pros: Desire Oyster Bar
• Cons: Smokey, Loud, Frilly Decor

European elegance complements Old World charm.

by Contributor at Citysearch

The Scene
This Euro-inspired grand hotel sports a patina of age as carefully manicured as its famous courtyard. The vibe is cultivated and lazy, complete with slow-moving ceiling fans, heavy chandeliers and dark, jazzy cafes. It sprawls on one of the world's most famous streets but everything slows down a bit within the hotel's muted confines.

The Details
The lush, dense and impeccably groomed courtyard is a great place to munch croissants from Begue's Restaurant and enjoy the morning quiet. The hotel actually employs horticulturists to care for the space; they give free garden tours and lectures in the spring. For the ultimate New Orleans experience, be sure to snag a room overlooking the courtyard or--for the truly brave--Bourbon Street. You also can request a Tower room, which includes a private elevator key and a personal concierge.

10/15/05

I stay there everytime I am in N.O.

by mmyers2005 at Citysearch

The best hotel. I pay $389 a night for a week, for a reason and go twice a year. it's worth the price & I 've paid $995 a night in chicago, and got far far less in cultures/flavor/fun and luxury.

What you do is get on the Conti side of the hotel. That way you can still be close to bourbon, and be a part of it but not that close. Conti has the flavor also, such as one time I was sitting on the balcony in the morning and people just come up and start singing to you for no special reason - how cool.

If you stay right on Bourbon, in which I did the first time - bring earplugs to tune out noise. You pay for the location - not luxury. Although it is luxury in the lobby.

Hope this helps.

• Pros: managers are helpful, security, location
• Cons: bourbon st loud

07/20/03

Beware of the Renovation!

by mistyferrell at Citysearch

The hotel was in a great location and the rooms were average. Our problem was the construction and renovation of the hotel. There was constant drilling and hammering all day. We booked our rooms several months in advance and we were right next door to the construction. We were not verbally warned that we would be next door to the work. When we approached the managers about the problem an apology was their only solution. This construction work is 7 days a week..............this took place on a Saturday.

• Pros: Great Location, Average Rooms
• Cons: Construction

02/25/03

Great hotel

by mabelle805 at Citysearch

I've stayed in N. O. many times. This is a special spot in many ways.

It's got the "action" of Bourbon St if you're into that, but once you step into the lobby, you're transported into an elegant hotel with a gorgeous courtyard.

Clean, great service, but DO ask for an inside room (facing the courtyard rather than the street) if you're looking for a restful night.

• Pros: location, cleanliness, great staff
• Cons: noisy on street side