Nine O Five Royal Hotel

I was traveling alone, and the place felt dirty, uncomfortable, and unsafe. There was hair on the pillow, so the bed linens didn’t seem to have been changed, and I noticed a faint gas smell from the stove. I had prepaid through a reservation service, which turned out to be a mistake. I checked out within half an hour, but the hotel wouldn’t refund me. When my instincts are telling me to leave, I leave right away. I’d rather be safe than sorry.

Parking was the main drawback. There’s none on site, and the nearest options we found were about six blocks away for $20 all day, but you had to pay again each time you came back. The lots closer to the hotel were either $50 a day by the river or $70 for covered parking. The location itself is great: you’re less than a two-minute walk from Bourbon Street, but far enough away that it’s quieter at bedtime. We enjoyed sitting on the pretty front porch watching horses and people pass. The room was spacious, though the bathroom and kitchen were small, and the beds were very comfortable. The owners live on site and leave you alone. They provide Dove body foam soap, lotion, body sponges, and other things. There was a slight smell in the room, but it wasn’t enough to put us off; maybe it was because we arrived not long after a storm or flooding in the area. I’d stay again.

We were charged $2,450, which was $175 too much. The extra $175 was refunded only after the BBB got involved. We also asked for a $2,250 refund because of a medical emergency, since we can’t travel now or in the future, but hotel management refused to consider the cancellation. They were very hard to reach about the overcharge, and messages left on the website went unanswered. This was supposed to be our fourth trip to NOLA, and we’ve never had a hotel in the district treat our personal needs with such disrespect. The reservation covered Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 31, 2019. Reservation #726331BOD2. We’ve asked the BBB for help with the refund request.

It’s a no-frills historic hotel with a good spot near Bourbon Street. There’s no fridge, ice, microwave, or other amenities, but it’s decent for somewhere to sleep. The price felt fair for what you get.