Safe Overnight Parking in FQ or Garden District

I am wondering about parking my car overnight in the French Quarter area or even in the Garden District. We may be staying in the FQ or GD on the way home from Gulf Shores and will have a fully loaded SUV, including some things attached to the roof rack.

If we stay at a hotel that charges for parking, does that mean that our things are safe and we won%26#39;t need to unload the whole SUV? I certainly don%26#39;t want to have to take everything into the hotel for one night, but I also don%26#39;t want to take a chance on having things stolen. Are we safe with valet parking?

We haven%26#39;t booked a hotel yet, although I%26#39;m thinking of the Iberville Suites. I%26#39;d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on this--would hate to wake up to a nasty surprise. We%26#39;ve been to NO many times in the past but we used to travel in a car with a limited amount of luggage. The beach trip and our baby are adding to our load this time! Thanks!!

Safe Overnight Parking in FQ or Garden District

One would think that for $30 per day for hotel valet parking that a vehicle would be stored in a secure or guarded area. To be sure, I would call the hotels you are interested in and ask if parking is secure enough to leave your stuff in your vehicle or external storage. I believe the cheaper lots for parking may not be as secure. To be on the safe side, I would not leave anything of a high value in the vehicle. If it can be replaced at Wal-Mart, so be it.

Safe Overnight Parking in FQ or Garden District

My thoughts exactly--if I%26#39;m paying, I do want some guarantee of security. I will call the hotels I am looking into about that. Thanks!

If anyone else has any comments, please share.

Regardless of where you park your car, my advice is to take everything with you when you check into wherever you stay. It is a huge pain to unload a car, just to pack it back up again, but when a potential thief sees even small items in a car, my guess is that they would be tempted to break in and see if there%26#39;s more stashed out of sight.

If you choose to take a chance leaving some items in the car, I definitely would not take a chance self-parking the car. Even if you use a valet, the fine print on the ticket clearly states that you should remove your personal items and that the valet is not responsible for the items in the event of theft or even damage.

Our family usually takes a long road trip every summer...and when we check into a hotel (even for an overnight stay en route to our ultimate destination) the rule is that everything goes inside with us...even little pieces of trash! It is a huge pain, but I guess if there is an upside to this, it%26#39;s that your car doesn%26#39;t accumulate that ';funk'; from a long road trip (you know...the dirty clothing/slightly wet swimsuit/fast food ';aroma';.)

I remember as a little kid, we drove all the way to British Columbia. We walked around sightseeing, and we waited for dad to go get the car and pick us up. It took him way too long, and when he finally showed up...sure enough...someone had thrown a big brick through the side window and stolen a couple of well-hidden cameras (including all the pictures inside!)

We spent a few more (and definitely less enjoyable) hours in the city while we waited to get the window fixed!

I don%26#39;t care how much you pay, YOU are the one responsible for your belongings. I can%26#39;t imagine any place that would accept that responsibility.

My advice - if something is that important to you, don%26#39;t ever take any chances by leaving it in the car. No matter what.

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I%26#39;m well aware that we are responsible for our possessions. Our biggest issue on this trip will be that we%26#39;re coming back from a beach trip and will have beach chairs, umbrella, etc. on top of the SUV. I am sure it%26#39;s going to take some time for my husband to get it all up there, and I%26#39;d hate for him to have to do it again the same day. I know the back of the SUV will be loaded down with luggage, ice chests, etc. and it would be quite an undertaking to unpack it all for one night in a hotel room. I guess that%26#39;s what we get for no longer having a regular car trunk that could hide a few things. We%26#39;re still debating if we%26#39;ll stop for the night in NO or go a little further to Baton Rogue or Lafayette (the pull of NO is SO strong, however!). I%26#39;m sure this is a problem we%26#39;ll have to deal with no matter which city we go with. Thanks again!

Sorry Lee I didn%26#39;t mean to come off sounding harsh. I was just being general, nothing towards you. I can certainly understand the predicament you%26#39;re in under the circumstances. Hope it all works out ok.

No offense taken. I see your point--really. I am having one of those ';I want it all moments.'; I want my beach trip, I want a NO trip on the side, I want it all to be nice and easy for us, and obviously, there are a few issues to consider now that we have a different vehicle, a toddler, etc. We need an overnight stay in LA b/c we%26#39;ll be working in a family visit but I want to go to NO since it%26#39;s been a while since we%26#39;ve been that way. I may just need to re-think that a bit. Thanks again.

Lee4...after several years of travelling with kids to the beach, I%26#39;ve finally given up bringing along my own chairs and umbrella. Now I just bite the bullet and rent them from wherever we happen to be staying. I%26#39;ve been doing it that way for a number of years, and now I%26#39;m spoiled! (and now that the kids are older, I have to fight them for one of the two chairs ;-)

Good luck!

Caseyno: That%26#39;s not a bad idea and it certainly cuts down on packing! My husband and I bought 2 chairs and an umbrella down in GS several years ago--pretty cheap at Walmart down there. Now, we%26#39;ve got a baby, but I feel like we need to use the things we already have--so they are going with us. We may have to do it your way, though, if we decide to keep going to the beach with our son in the future. I%26#39;m amazed at how much stuff I am now bringing along every time we travel with our son. It%26#39;s crazy!

If you go to GS, where do you rent beach chairs, etc. from? We%26#39;re renting a house this year, so I don%26#39; expect chairs and umbrellas to be readily available as they are around hotels. Thanks!

I hear ya about ALL THAT STUFF! Been there, done that! It%26#39;s amazing that humans evolved to the point that we did, you know, without all the baby paraphenalia that we can%26#39;t seem to do without these days ;-)

If you%26#39;re renting a house, then you should probably bring your own. We usually rent a unit in one of the high-rise condos, and they always have the umbrellas and chairs lined up in a row. It%26#39;s too easy to just go and charge the extra $40-50 that it costs to have them ready and waiting!

Hope your trip is great!

Casey

Hotel Choice - Please!!!

Hello all! My boyfriend and I are planning a romantic getaway to New Orleans. This is the first time either of us will be traveling to NO and we are so excited. I am having such a difficult time making a decision on a hotel. I have narrowed it down, and would love some input.

We are trying to be as budget minded as possible. We are mid-thirties and would rather spend our money sightseeing and dining. We want to stay some place nice, but want some of the NO feel to our hotel, as well.

1) Chateau Sonesta - 85/night

2) Place d%26#39;Armes - 75/night View room

3) Cornstalk - 85/night Standard Room

4) Bourbon Orleans - 75/night

If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to give your advice.

Thanks in advance!!

Hotel Choice - Please!!!

Each has its charm...Chateau Sonesta has large rooms with high ceiling as it was a department store before..D.H. Holmes and has within the building Storyville and the Red Fish Grille. Its at Canal and Bourbon and Iberville at the beginning of the French Quarter. To me it seems to draw an older crowd.

Cornstalk I%26#39;ve never stayed at or known of anyone to have.

Bourbon Orleans has a great location and has typical FQ rooms and good service and pleasant staff. They used to have a nice lunch/brunch restaurant on premises.

Place D%26#39;armes is my favorite place in the quarter with its quaint courtyard and absolute best location. You can bring a drink into the courtyard and relax. In the morning they have a nice croissant/rolls with coffee/juice complimentary that you can have in their european style cafe%26#39; while looking out at St. Ann and the parade of %26#39;characters%26#39;.

Its a short walk to Jackson Square (1/2 block) and so very close to Muriels Restaurant and also Cafe Du%26#39;monde. The staff is excellent as well as the management. I%26#39;ve stayed there about 18-20 nights.

Hotel Choice - Please!!!

And you are only a few blocks from Irene%26#39;s Italian Restaurant when at the Place D%26#39;armes or Bourbon Orleans for a nice romantic italian meal.

Villa Convento. Not too many people know about this place. It%26#39;s in a quiet section of the FQ, right across the street from a great croissant place. Rates are very reasonable, very romantic and many rooms have private balconies.

The only one of those I have stayed at is Bourbon Orleans. It is a beautiful hotel with a great location. The Cornstalk is pretty from the outside but I don%26#39;t think it gets great reviews for the rooms. I haven%26#39;t stayed at Place d%26#39;Armes but it has a lot of loyal customers who love it. In my opinion, Chateau Sonesta would have the least desirable location of the places you have listed because it is closer to Canal Street than the others.

Other possibilities: A favorite of mine is the Hotel Provincial which is in the quiet part of the Quarter but only a few minutes away from all of the action.

And I see you are Fort Walton in your area description so I assume you will be driving...ask at these places about parking...the rates vary greatly...sometimes places will offer a special rate for parking as at times the Place D%26#39;armes does.

The Provincial is nice ...like a creole homestead and French doors and furniture but would be higher in cost than those you checked out and their parking rate is pretty high..but they might have a sizziling summer savings going on..

We decided to spend most of our recent trip to N.O. at the Place d%26#39; Armes (largely because of Cajunyanks recommendations) and were very happy we did.The other hotel (the Monteleone) we stayed at just didn%26#39;t have the same charm or character.You may want to check out our recent review of the Place d%26#39; Armes in the Tripadvisor hotel section for more information.

Based on some of the reviews of the Place D%26#39; Armes I would recommend that you stay in one of their courtyard rooms.

Hi Tchr...............stayed at the Cornstalk 2 nights after mardi gras one year. Beautiful building..........our room was very small but we weren%26#39;t hanging out in the room anyway. Sort of a museum/musty feel inside the hotel, though not in a bad way really. It was great to have breakfast on their balcony and listen to all of the carriage riders (and they all stop in front of the hotel) tell different stories about the fence! Place d%26#39;Armes for that price seems like a great deal too.......great location. I would stay away from the bigger hotels b/c the other two have wonderful character and great locations. Have fun and message me if you want to know more about the Cornstalk.................

Hi,

I considered Chateau Sonesta when I planned my trip, but glad I did not choose that. Chateau Sonesta and (also Bourbon Orleans if I remember correctly) will most definitely have A LOT noice (disco music) from the bars next door. The music is load and clear in Bourbon Street, OK when you stroll along the street, but I definitely would not like to listen to it all night long in my room.

We stayed in JW Marriott which is diagonally across the Canal Street to Bourbon Street. The room was spacious, well appointed and had a view to the Mississippi over FQ. Very good hotel, excellent staff and a good quality for the price we paid, 119USD incl buffet breakfast. Nothing especially NOLA about the place though, but was very happy with the choice I made.

Thank you all for your help! We actually booked the Prince Conti today for $55 a night. The only room left at the Place D%26#39;Armes were interior rooms and we wanted to have a window, at the least.

I am so excited about our trip. Now that the hotel decision has been made, it is time to start planning the fun stuff!!!!

Thanks again!!

University of New Orleans

My son is going to grad school in NO, and I%26#39;m wanting information about the college...where is it located in relation to the French Quarter?

Is it in a safe area?

Any info will be appreciated. Thanks@

University of New Orleans

UNO is on the lakefront, several miles from the French Quarter. The ';lake'; neighborhoods are very nice and the ones closest to Lake Pontchartrain sustained little to no flooding in Katrina. The UNO campus was damaged to some extent but as largely been repaired.

It%26#39;s a very good university. It%26#39;s part of the LSU system and is known locally for being ';tougher'; than some of the regional universities. Your son made a good choice.

University of New Orleans

I second what CajunWave said. The area%26#39;s very nice, reasonably safe, and the school is excellent. I went there, and my daughter will be there in 2008.

Table Games Minimum Bet (Harrah's)

I know that the minimum bet for Craps and Black Jack change according to the traffic. What may I expect to find for a Tuesday thru Thursday?

Table Games Minimum Bet (Harrah's)

The earlier in the day, the lower the minimum. Most tables start at $10, but I have seen some $5 tables, too. As the traffic increases, so do the minimums. There are usually many tables empty during the morning hours. These are for Blackjack. I don%26#39;t know what the Craps minimums are.

Table Games Minimum Bet (Harrah's)

Thanks, ricajun. I%26#39;ll prepare for $10 minimum bets.

Anyone know what is for craps?

Where to Park for French Quarter visit

We are going to drive over to New Orleans for the day from Biloxi. Planning on a mule buggy tour, walking around the French Quarter and Bourbon Street.

My question is where is it safe to park our vehicle near these sites and also where would you suggest we have lunch?

Where to Park for French Quarter visit

There is a lot at Elysian Fields and Decatur St. which is just a few blocks from the FQ. I believe it is $8 per day. It is easier to drive on the downriver side of the FQ near Esplanade Ave as opposed to Canal St. and the CBD.

Lunch options I recommend are Johnny%26#39;s Po Boys, Napoleon House. If you like muffaletta%26#39;s, they are good at Central Grocery and Napoleon House. If you want a nice place, Mr. B%26#39;s Bistro for BBQ shrimp, Muriel%26#39;s or Bayona.

Where to Park for French Quarter visit

If you%26#39;ll be visiting on a weekday, you could park at the Canal Place shopping mall, which fronts on Canal Street and is adjacent to the Audubon Aquarium. There is covered parking, and the early bird parking rate is $8 if you%26#39;re in by 9 and out by 5.

Just a note that there%26#39;s nothing to see on Bourbon during the day. It%26#39;s pretty tacky, in fact. Spend your time on Royal instead!

Park on Decatur next door to the Canal Place Mall and walk up to where all th ehorse/buggy tours can be caught.

Theres an outdoor lot next to Jax Brewery and then in the further block toward S.Peters is another lot on Decatur..those would place you closer to the items you mentioned.

Thanks for the parking tips.

Any suggestions on what we should see/do for the afternoon? Mule buggy ride is all we%26#39;ve planned other than lunch.

I agree the Jax Brewery lot is easy to get in and out of - I work in the FQ and that%26#39;s where I park every day. I don%26#39;t have a choice, but I still think it%26#39;s most convenient. I second the recommendation for Napoleon House, it%26#39;s my favorite!

One of our favorite lunch spots is Acme Oyster House. And don%26#39;t forget Cafe du Monde. Go there for dessert and coffee after lunch, and you%26#39;ll be right across from where the carriage tours begin.

Parking between Canal and the brewery would probably be best for everything, just a couple of $ most than some places but less than other. The Aquarium would be nice, a visit to Mardi Gras World. Just walking the streets between Decatur and Bourbon from Canal to Jackson Square there is a lot to see, more than you could possibly enjoy in a day. There%26#39;s also the French Market.

What kind of lunch would you want to have?

We will be staying at the Country Inn and Suites. Is the mall parking lot or the one by the brewery close enoungh (or safe enough) to walk from there to the hotel?

eyeliner

my skin infection

Get Up & Go Fairfield Resorts Accomodations

We received a %26#39;Get Up %26amp; Go%26#39; vacation certificate for 3 days/2 nights from Fairfield Resorts. (which I read is now owned by Wyndham) One of the destination choices is New Orleans.

Does anyone know which hotel they put you up in if you make a reservation. I would call and ask, but you have to pay a $50 refundable fee to make a request so I thought I would throw it out here first to see if anyone is familiar.

We are mainly concerned about being near Harrah%26#39;s because we like to gamble, and of course we would like to see the French Quarter.

Any info you may have is appreciated. Thank you!

Get Up %26amp; Go Fairfield Resorts Accomodations

you can call 1-800-830-1794 and ask them. We buy these as travel incentives for our clients and they all seem to like them. they normally have 4 or 5 hotel choices for each destination. They will offer you a extra night if you are willing to go to a timeshare but it is not required.

Get Up %26amp; Go Fairfield Resorts Accomodations

Thank you tru2logan.

I will give them a call and ask. I%26#39;m glad to hear you possibly have 4 or 5 choices.

Thanks for the info!

The Avenue Plaza timeshare on St. Charles has a banner that mentions Wyndham. I%26#39;ll pay more attention when I drive by!

We did this a couple of years ago and the hotels included the Historic French Market Inn (don%26#39;t recommend it), the Holiday Inn French Quarter, and St James Place on Magazine St. I don%26#39;t remember the other choices.

new NO teacher needs short term hotel/BB

My son is a recent Notre Dame grad. who is in the teachNOLA program. He has a teacher training instutue beginning next week and he has no where to stay (this has all happened within the past week). He has a few leads for a summer sublet but does not want to commit until he gets to NOLA (he arrives 6/19 and ';institute'; begins on 6/21). He is interested in a hotel or B%26amp;B in the mid-city or uptown area (summer training is to be in this general vicinty). If you have any reasonable hotel or BB recommendations he/we would appreciate it!

Thanks,

Peg

new NO teacher needs short term hotel/BB

I haven%26#39;t stayed here but it has good reviews here on Trip Advisor.

Canal Street Guesthouse

1930 CANAL STREET

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA 70112

504 266-1930

http://bestguesthouse.com/

http://www.lanierbb.com/inns/bb18804.html

new NO teacher needs short term hotel/BB

Thanks so much...it looks like a good option for my son.

That guest house isn%26#39;t in a very good area. In fact, it%26#39;s a downright rough part of Canal Street in my opinion...very close to I-10. If your budget allows, I%26#39;d suggest the Block-Keller House or 1896 O%26#39;Malley House B%26amp;Bs near Canal and Carrollton, a much nicer area.

I%26#39;d call them both and tell them he%26#39;s teaching and needs a special rate. It%26#39;s summer and properties may wheel and deal!

I%26#39;d try to get a discounted rate at the places Cajunwave mentioned as you do not want to be that far up Canal Street.

ANd go to www.bbnola.com and look at their lists. Then compare the locations to a map.. Finally,since it is summer, definitely ';wheel and deal.'; These places have weekend guests, and still not full in the summer, and almost no one mid week. I%26#39;m sure they would love amonthg-long resident at less than half the nightly cost of short-term guests.