The Rubenstein Hotel

The location is prime, with streetcars running along both Canal and St Charles, Bourbon St a block or so away, and Royal and Chartres street close by without the party scene. We liked those two streets best. It was an easy walk to French market and Cafe Du Monde, and it was handy to come back for a refresh before heading out again. We booked through Expedia and check-in went smoothly. They upgraded us to a corner suite, which I appreciated, but its lovely view of Canal street came with plenty of hustle and noise. Bourbon street noise kept us up. I’d stay here again in New Orleans, but pick a room that isn’t on the corner. If you sleep heavily, you might be fine there. I was glad the CVS a block away had earplugs.

Joianas made us feel like special guests when we arrived for our first Mardi Gras. She was so sweet, explained the hotel and the area, and helped us get a better room right beside the balcony. The room was clean and comfortable, with a great view of the parade. Everyone, guests and employees alike, seemed to be having a fun time, and we loved the atmosphere. We enjoyed the trip and hope to come back next year.

We booked two nights and left after one. At 7 am, the front desk started calling, asking us to move rooms so they could do plumbing maintenance. We asked about compensation and were told there’d be none, so we declined since we had only about 12 hours left. At 8 am, housekeeping came into the room without knocking. Then a maintenance man knocked at 9 am to do the work. It felt like the hotel didn’t care about its customers. The hotel is in what I’d call a seedy part of New Orleans and the quarter. At night, the lobby lights are shut off, and even during the day you need a key to get in for everyone’s safety. I know the price may look appealing, but based on our experience, I’d choose a nicer, safer nearby hotel.

The first room seemed promising: it was spacious and quiet, away from the street. Then I found stains on the sheets and pillowcases, plus a blood stain and another questionable mark on the mattress pad. An employee came up to change the sheets, but it was late and they couldn’t get a clean mattress cover. I asked to move because there was blood on the bedding. The replacement room was smaller and right by the street, so it was bright and loud. There were stained sheets again, a blood stain on the ironing board, and another questionable red mark on the bathroom door. By then it was so late that I took off the dirty sheet and made do with what we had. The night employee tried to help as much as he could, since he was the only one there. We’d come for a couple of nights to celebrate my birthday, but the accommodations made it an unfortunate stay.