ONE11 Hotel

My daughter and I had a terrific New Orleans getaway, but the service here was disappointing. The location and facilities are excellent, easily five-star qualities, yet many staff seemed disengaged or openly unpleasant. At 7:30 one morning, I went down for coffee and saw cleaning crew members on the lobby couches, with wet mops resting on the furniture, loudly watching a show on their phones. It made the lobby feel unwelcoming. The bar was always empty, and the bartenders came across as surly, impersonal, and uninterested in hospitality. At the front desk, the men seemed more focused on their phones than guests. When we asked for help getting the key to the minibar in the shopping area, they acted inconvenienced and exasperated. This place has a lot of potential because the facilities and location are terrific. Better attention to service culture, professionalism, and guest engagement could make it an outstanding hotel.

The mattress and pillows were very comfortable, and the AC kept the room cool. They also let us check in a few hours early at no charge because the room was ready. The welcome was lukewarm, without any perks or benefits, but that was fine. After 15 years of annual New Orleans trips and a range of stays, this one felt middle of the road: fine, neither bad nor great, and not memorable. I probably wouldn't return. Our room was spacious and clean, but the photos are misleading about the windows. Not every room has the big bright ones shown. We had one tiny, dirty window facing the parking lot, with bright lights shining through at night. I had to close the blackout curtains, which I hate because I wake up in total darkness and can't tell if it's 9 a.m. The room coffee was barely drinkable, and the tea wasn't better. Breakfast was disappointing too: a few pastries, cereal, yogurt, and fruit. If you can't have gluten or dairy, fruit is all there is. The first-floor common area was nice for working or hanging out, but the bar only opened at 4 p.m., which seemed strange for New Orleans, where most hotel bars are open much of the day and night. The 8th-floor “rooftop” patio is two small lounge areas facing the river, but wind or bad weather makes them unusable. There were no door tags for “do not disturb” or “please clean,” which was odd. My 5G was significantly faster than the WiFi too.

This cozy, small hotel has a nice boutique feel, and the rooms were clean and very comfortable. Steven at the front desk was always friendly and helpful. The location is right where the business district meets the French Quarter, so you can walk pretty much anywhere. I'll definitely return.

For the price, this is a great stay: modern, clean rooms, a lovely lobby, rooftop access, a small but great pool, a decent bar with a good little menu, and a convenient location. I'd give it 4.5 stars if that were possible. The free breakfast is fine for grabbing something on the way out, with fruit, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, a few pastries, okay coffee, and very limited hot food, pancakes or waffles on alternating days. Parking's the main thing to plan for. The hotel doesn't claim to provide it, but people often expect parking at a hotel. There's no free parking, and the lot next door is very expensive. Premium parking lot 451 is about five short blocks north and reasonably priced if you buy online for the week. It has free valet service and lets you take your car out whenever you want, which some lots don't. It could save a few hundred dollars. One odd layout detail: the bathroom has frosted glass walls and shares a wall with the shower. That might be fine for a couple, but felt strange for a family. Still, I'd recommend it for the central location, clean modern rooms, and good price.