The Marquee, Ascend Hotel Collection

Our suite had a sleek, very modern, high-end feel, and the building’s theatrical theme really brings out the theater district’s spirit. The augmented reality features that make the art come to life were especially impressive. The Marquee is one of the most unusual places I’ve stayed, and I loved the creativity and futuristic feel.

The front desk and security team were kind and welcoming whenever we came in, especially Leroy. But after we declined the timeshare presentation, most staff seemed to ignore us on purpose. The hotel itself was okay, though there’s only a cold pool, no hot tub, and no breakfast or on-site amenities. The first-floor bathrooms smelled like something was literally rotting, though I couldn’t tell what. Hilton needs to turn this place around soon or I don’t think it’ll last. We were interested in the presentation at first, and liked Kelley C., who led the main session. Then we saw the price and told her honestly we couldn’t afford it right now. She became irate, called us “a huge waste of time,” and told us to leave. After a presentation that ran 3.5 hours, despite being described to us as 2 hours, leaving was a relief. She’d said we could still be friends afterward, but that certainly didn’t happen. It was a really strange reaction when we’d been told there was no need to sign up or agree to anything that day. The cheapest option required $1,500+ down at signup, yearly fees around $1,300+, and monthly payments depending on the loan and how many vacation points you wanted. If you can manage the yearly cost and down payment, kudos to you.

The views, especially of the parades, were lovely, and the lobby was nicely decorated. The building felt safe, and Bourbon St and other areas are walkable. They replaced the toilet seat within about 15-20 minutes after I reported it. Still, for what I know my friend pays for the timeshare, the suite felt more like a 2.5-star hotel, and I wouldn’t sign up for one. It was a large suite that fit our group conveniently, but not impressive for the price. My friend has a Bluegreen timeshare and had invited me for years. We finally joined her at this location in NOLA during Mardi Gras. The location was great, and most of the front-end staff were great too, though a few acted bothered. Two members of our party arrived late after flying all day, and security made them wait. I went down to get them, but we never saw any staff. We were the first to arrive in the presidential suite. In our bathroom, the toilet paper holder wouldn’t hold the roll, so it kept falling on the floor. The toilet seat was peeling and actually stuck to your skin when used. The shared restroom had no towels or soap. Breakers tripped in our room and in the large room at different times, and we never figured out what combination caused it. Once, only the suite lights were on, then my friend’s husband turned on the bathroom lights in the big room to shower and the breaker tripped. The towel rack in the large room was broken. The thermostat wasn’t attached properly, as if the drywall had been cut too large. Dust and debris were around the suite, with only the main walking areas clear. I set my bag on the floor in our room, then picked it up onto the bed, and the bed was covered in dust.

We stayed with family for the French Quarter jazz festival and had an awesome time. The property is great, with huge, comfortable rooms and high ceilings. It’s just outside the French Quarter, in a wonderful location.