Bluegreen Vacations Club La Pension, an Ascend Collection Resort

The space was amazing, and the beds were so comfortable. I loved the little welcome touches, plus there were plenty of beach towels. From there it was just a few dozen steps to the beach chairs, or to the beach daily. Highly recommend, and we’ll be back.

The place has a distinctive New Orleans style, and the staff are really friendly and helpful. We’ve visited several times over the past 10 years. It’s ideally situated, close to everything, but not too loud or busy at night.

The value didn’t feel right for what we paid. If we came back, I’d look at one of the big brand hotels off Canal Street. You’d likely get a more comfortable room and better sleeping conditions, farther from the street but still close to the French Quarter, Canal Street, and the rest of the city. There were good points: the location is on the edge of the French Quarter and handy for Canal Street. The fridge and coffee maker worked, the hotel felt clean, and the room had a nice balcony. There were several outdoor areas to sit in. Staff took care of the problems we brought to them. They also let us check in early and held our bags after checkout until we were ready to leave town. Sleep was rough, though. The location was very noisy, the bed and flat pillows were uncomfortable, and the sheets felt rough. A sharp tack stuck up through the carpet, the blackout curtain was torn and wouldn’t close all the way, and there was a gas smell in the hallway throughout our weeklong stay. The key card malfunctioned several times, so we had to get help from the front desk. Some staff were very friendly, while others made us feel like we were bothering them. And at check-in, before we could even take our bags to the room, we were brought to a timeshare salesperson as a mandatory part of the process. We’d reserved online and paid by credit card. I couldn’t believe they wouldn’t let us get to the room before trying to sign us up for a two-hour presentation.

This was one of the worst hotels we’ve stayed in. We woke up this morning with no hot water. Parking is four blocks away and costs $35 a day, and twice when I walked into the lobby, the security guard was asleep, once on the couch and once in a chair. If you want any sleep, avoid room 202. The dumpster, service trucks, alley, and regular hotel noise make it awful. Whatever is in that room made my husband’s sinuses clog right away. We asked to move on the first day, but they couldn’t do it.