Hotel Royal

The old building has a lot of charm, and our room was very clean. Staff were hard to find at times, though. We left our key in the room and had to call the posted number, then wait for someone to come in from off site. At checkout, we were trying to leave during a break in the tropical storm and eventually someone who worked there came in from outside to help.

We booked a king room with a balcony and loved it. The staff were great, and Royal Street is a great location. The hotel is historic and very old, so keep that in mind when you book. If you want the newest of everything, this probably isn't the place. For authentic French Quarter vibes, though, it’s just right.

We’ve stayed here several times and keep coming back because it suits our needs. The location is perfect for walking around the French Quarter, and each room we’ve tried has been quiet, with nice bedding and a comfortable bed. Room 25 is our favorite, on the ground floor with a bathtub shower. Room 5 was lovely and small, with amazing AC and another wonderful bed, but getting to it meant going up and down five sets of stairs. Its standing shower has small tiles that hurt our feet, so shower shoes would help in that room. There’s no microwave or refrigerator, and the hotel doesn’t offer drinks, so bring your own water or soda. There is an ice machine on the ground floor. If you want to leave the French Quarter, an Uber there and back will be about $20. We’ll be returning.

The kids loved the trip and the hotel’s atmosphere, and the staff were very helpful. The location also worked well for getting between the places we wanted to explore. Our room was much smaller than I expected, though I may have missed the photos or dimensions when booking. The hot water wasn’t working during our four-night stay. Staff responded right away, but it still didn’t work until we read reviews and tried running the sink’s hot water while showering. That did the trick. I also hadn’t realized the balconies were shared with the room next door. We’d put our 12 and 18 year old girls in that room because the trip was for them, as fans of The Originals, so we were extra cautious.