Wyndham French Quarter

I was just in New Orleans. I did not stay at the Wyndham tho I stayed in the French Quarter. The Wyndham looks very nice. I have toured plantations a handfull of times. I usually rent a car and drive to the plantations, however there are plenty of tours that pick up at the hotels. We did take a tour once, the tours usually go to 2 or 3 plantations. Your concierge will have lots of brochures. BTW, here are my favorites from NOLA-- we liked Napoleon House for cocktails and muffalettas http://www.napoleonhouse.com/ We liked Commander's Palace for lunch, including 25 cent martinis! Its in the garden district and you can take the historic Charles Street Car to get there. www.commanderspalace.com and for jazz, Preservation Hall is sort of must do, but we really liked Fitzels on Bourbon for "old time" jazz. Free for the cost of a drink www.fritzelsjazz.net. If you like piano bars, we liked Pat O'Briens.

Hi Jules; great recommendations.... do you have a favourite Plantation you liked?
We're going the end of January to celebrate sister's 50Ann. They're staying at the Omni Royal which is not in our budget but wanted to stay nearby in the French Quarter. The Wyndham is less than 1/2 the cost but still pricey for us Canadians as our Dollar is weak!
Looking at flipkey, vrbo, airbnb etc. but can't find anything reasonable in the French Quarter... Wyndham is the best I've found so far.

Thanks Jules...
Jean

We stayed at the Hilton Homewood Suites. It is on the edge of French Quarter so it may not be as close as you like. I liked Oak Alley (everyone's favorite), San Francisco, Laura and Houmas House.

These sound great; can you take a tour that does all 4 in one day?
Jean

Check these out.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Products-g60864-zfc11971-zfg11873-New_Orleans_Louisiana.html

Oak Alley and Laura plantations are within 2-3 miles of each other on the old River Road ("west bank" - about 45 minutes from the French Quarter, on the other side of the Mississippi River) and together present understandings of two different plantation cultures - the Anglo and the French Creole. If you are willing to look at what plantation life really was like for the enslaved peoples who worked there, the Whitney Plantation focuses especially on that aspect. The Whitney Plantation is also within 3-4 miles of Laura and Oak Alley. Oak Alley presents a (mostly) glorified look at the pretty parts of what life was like for those white people who lived off the labor of enslaved people. Laura is a bit more honest, with the slave cabins back behind the "big house" and fascinating for its look at how women could own property and lead businesses within French Creole culture. Whitney is brutally honest on many levels. As a New Orleanian, these are the three plantations that I think offer the full spread of different historical understandings of "plantation life," all within several miles of each other. You can pick up bus tours - or small van tours - that will take you to Oak Alley and Laura, in one trip, I believe. You may need to do a bit more research to find one that will combine the Whitney with one or two others. FYI: there is a cafe at Oak Alley; also B&C Seafood Market and Cajun Restaurant, on Old River Road really close to Laura Plantation doesn't look like much on the outside, but the food inside is really good and well priced.... I just checked. Viator and Cajun Encounters both offer tours of either Oak Alley & Laura, or Oak Alley and Whitney.

I used to live near New Orleans and have been back several times. We stay at the Hotel Mazarin. We love it as there are two super cool bars next to it and the rooms, alrhough next to Bourbon street, are very quiet.
You must take a swamp tour! Our favorite!
GW Fins, excellent restaurant.

Hi Dive
Which swamp tour do you recommend?
Jean

I had another thought on a hotel. I stayed once at the Bourbon New Orleans. http://www.bourbonorleans.com It has a real "New Orleans" feel and its right in the center of the French Quarter. I really liked it. Their pricing seems to vary wildly. I'm noticing some pretty low prices for this summer. You could check for your dates and see what you think.