French Quarter Suites Hotel

From the outside, the French Quarter Suites Hotel has a typical New Orleans look. It's a squat building with wooden shuttlers and has wraparound porches with ironwork railings. Inside, there's a small lobby with two green and two orange easy chairs. A colorful, geometric patterned rug lies underfoot. Across from this small seating area is a desk, used for check-in, which gives the room a homey feel. On the walls behind the desk are vibrant paintings of a guitar and a jazz trio, emblematic of the city. The breakfast room has a similarly homelike ambiance, with the toasters and microwave stacked on wood credenza along with a beautiful old bar. The seating area, filled with small circular tables and wood chairs, is not the most comfortable. As one might expect from a value hotel near the French Quarter, most of the guests are tourists on a budget. 

While named the French Quarter Suites Hotel, the property is actually just to the west of North Rampart St., the border of this historic neighborhood. It's a few blocks from Bourbon Street, the artery of the party action during Mardi Gras, and within walking easy distance of numerous bars, shops, and restaurants. The surrounding blocks are not the prettiest, but it's a generally safe neighborhood. The airport is a 20-minute drive away. 

Some of the Standard rooms at the French Quarter Suites can be a little cramped, but there's a range of larger accommodations, including many multi-room suites. Rooms are simply designed with thin, natural tone bedspreads and wood desks and furniture. Some rooms have flat-screen TVs. Warm touches such as soft lighting and wood-framed mirrors add some comfort to rooms, though tile floors can be contrastingly sterile. Suites with separate living rooms are modern, with homey furniture upholstered in soft yellow or greens. Suites have kitchenettes with four-burner stoves, ovens, and microwaves, though typically they lack counter space. Bathrooms are generally clean, though there may be some calcium deposits or a need for re-grouting. Rooms are accessed from outdoor walkways, meaning at times noise can be an issue.

The French Quarter Suites has free Wi-Fi throughout and there's a free continental breakfast served in conjunction with one of the neighboring hotels. A cluster of hotels share a large pool in an internal courtyard, and the French Quarter Suites also has its own kidney-shaped pool. This is more private, but it's location off the parking garage is less than ideal. The hotel is pet-friendly and parking is available for a hefty fee.