How to Find Good Hotels in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans's French Quarter is known for its balconies.

New Orleans, Louisiana, is the birthplace of jazz and home to Cajun food, Creole cooking and the lively French Quarter. Many tourists head to New Orleans to see the bayou, taste homemade soul food, hear authentic local jazz musicians in small bars or join in the festive atmosphere of Mardi Gras. If you want to find a great hotel in New Orleans, you will need to do a little research and consult some of Louisiana's official tourism resources.

Instructions

1. Research and pick a neighborhood first. New Orleans is perhaps most famous for the historic French Quarter, which consists of 90 square blocks and is home to Bourbon Street. Storyville is a neighborhood found north of the French Quarter and is locally considered the birthplace of jazz. Faubourg Marigny is an area east of the French Quarter that is loaded with popular restaurants and bars. Think about what type of vacation experience you want to have and choose a neighborhood accordingly.

2. Use the Official Louisiana Tourism website. LouisianaTravel.com is the website recommended by the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and provides information on hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns, cabins, private rentals and even camping and RV parks. You can search for hotels in New Orleans on the site, read descriptions, get contact information and even receive special deals and promotions on hotel rooms.

3. Look for New Orleans Better Business Bureau Accredited Hotels. The Better Business Bureau has long been a reliable source of information on business practices and customer complaints. Choosing a hotel that is accredited by the Better Business Bureau of New Orleans means that other visitors have recommended that hotel. You can find a list of accredited hotels on the Better Business Bureau's New Orleans website. You can also find reviews on restaurants, night clubs and concert halls.

4. Consult reliable travel guides like Frommer's, Lonely Planet or EyeWitness and read the hotel reviews. Travel guides use articles that are written by informed, professional writers who are familiar with a given area. Guide books allow you to browse hotels by neighborhood and see a list of amenities and features. If you do not own a travel guide or do not want to buy one, you can consult a list of hotel reviews online for free at travel websites.

5. Use travel community websites and read people's reviews. Reading hotel reviews will show you the type of experience that other guests have had. Check websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp to see previous guests' review, photos and even videos. You can see guests' personal photos of hotels and room interiors at review websites.

References

• Better Business Bureau: BBB Serving South Lousiana including the Tri-Parish Area: Accredited Business Directory
• LouisianaTravel.com: Louisiana Official Travel and Tourism Information
• Frommer's: Neighborhoods in Brief in New Orleans at Frommer's

Resources

• Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism
• Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet Hotels & Hostels: New Orleans Hotels, Hostels and Accommodation
• Yelp: New Orleans Hotels
• TripAdvisor: New Orleans, Louisiana Travel Reviews