Ajeet and I went to New Orleans to celebrate our of our best friend’s birthday and it was AMAZING!! I was a little hesitant going to Nola simply because I was told it’s worse than Vegas in terms of partying and it’s super dirty and y’all know that’s not my scene at all! However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the partying + dirtiness was really only on one street– Bourbon Street. Everything else about New Orleans had so much culture and history surrounding it and you can honestly feel it by walking down the streets!
We decided to stay in the French Quarter which is the oldest part of town. It’s the heart of New Orleans and has so much energy and character– we’re talking street performers, jazz clubs, art galleries and delicious food!! I’m pretty familiar with the W in general and when I saw that there was a W in the French Quarter, I knew that’s where I wanted to be! I checked out photos online and fell in love with the decor. When I checked in, I noticed every single detail of the hotel was intricately thought out and the decor was infused with some Tarot and Voodoo-inspired New Orleans history of course! Let’s dive into some details, shall we?
Everything you need to know about the W New Orleans French Quarter in easy, bullet-point form:
- Location location location!! This was everything for me because I knew it was going to be insanely hot and I wanted to be near all the things we had planned for the trip. It’s actually pretty close to Bourbon Street, but far enough to where you don’t hear the crazy noise! Jackson Square is also very near by!
- Pets are welcome AND if you choose, the W even has a pet walking service!! HUGE plus!
- The living area is SO cozy and intimate, I fell in love with the hotel instantly when I walked in. They even had refreshing cucumber water in the lobby which was everything since it was crazy hot! And no, there was never a time (not even at 2am) where the water was ever out. HUGER plus!
- If you’re arriving early or leaving late, you can store your luggage at the hotel so you can still have some fun! I know a few hotels in Nola don’t do that so this is another huge plus!
- The rooms are AMAZING!! We stayed in the Fabulous room that had a balcony overlooking French Quarter and I highly recommend it!! It’s not a suite but still spacious enough to comfortably fit my overpacking essentials and then some!
- Side note: the bed was insanely comfortable! I didn’t wake up sore at all which happens 95% of the time I stay at hotels!
- They had Bliss products in the bathroom + a rain shower!
- The W French Quarter also had this gorgeous interior courtyard with cute cabanas and couches right by the pool for you to relax and enjoy a drink or two!
- If you’re going to be here on a Sunday, I heavily recommend attending the SoBou Leggs and Eggs which is a fun little burlesque brunch they have every Sunday! All 6 of us did this and had the BEST time! Not to mention, you can’t go wrong with anything on the brunch menu. Everything is so darn delicious! Even if you aren’t here on a Sunday, you should stop by and eat at Sobou just once because they have very unique street food from Louisiana!
- The last thing I want to mention and probably the most important is the customer service. On our last day in New Orleans, my husband had lost his wedding band. I tried to stay calm for the first 30 minutes of looking for the ring, but after that I started panicking. We asked the restaurant, checked in all the bathrooms, requested to go back in our room (we had already checked out) to see if it maybe fell in there. We couldn’t find it anywhere!! The entire staff including housekeeping and the on-site security & engineer was going above and beyond helping us search for this wedding band. Long story short, turns out the ring had slipped in Ajeet’s suitcase while he was packing (insert rolling eyes emoji here lol) but I just couldn’t believe how caring everyone at the hotel was. They genuinely care about their guests and our missing ring incident proved that!
Obviously, you should experience Bourbon Street just once in your life and get yourself that hand grenade drink for the sake of telling people. However, there’s more to Bourbon Street so I’ll share some important things you should do while in Nola!
What to do in NOLA besides Bourbon Street:
- We did the Haunted Ghost Walking Tour (we got it off Groupon) and it was so worth it! I loved learning about some of the history in New Orleans and whether you believe it or not, some of the stories are kind of creepy!!
- Jackson Square is a historic park in the French Quarter and it has the world-famous Cafe Du Monde (delicious beignets) there!
- Explore Washington Artillery Park/Water Front
- Ride the cable car down to Garden District and check out the amazing mansions! There’s also shopping along Magazine Street!
- Check out Cemetery No. 1 (there’s also tours for this too!). We went to the Lafayette Cemetery after we hopped off the cable car. In case you didn’t know, New Orleans cemeteries are built above ground because the city is built on a swamp.
- If you’re into beer, check out the Witches Brew Tour!
- If you’re into liquor, check out the Seven Three Distilling Co or the Rum Factory!
- For my gamblers, you can get your casino at Harrah’s (a quick 5-7 minute walk from the W)
- We skipped out on Bourbon Street the second night and went to Frenchman Street instead which was 100x better in my opinion. I loved the light jazz and the vibe was way more chill! Also if you’re in NOLA on a Sunday, head to a bar called ‘Maison’. They have the best music!
- You’ll find unique art galleries + local shops on Royal Street & Julia Street!
- You can also look into cooking classes in New Orleans, I wish we had time for that but next time!
Where we ate/to eat in NOLA:
- Cafe Fleur De Lis — just a 1 minute walk from the W and you’ll taste the most delicious southern styled breakfast!!
- Gumbo Shop — famous for their gumbo, you have to try it once while in Nola!
- Cafe Du Monde — this is a famous spot for beignets!
- Mr Ed’s Oyster Bar — THIS PLACE IS A MUST! I tried oysters for the first time here and it was so good!! Literally everything on the menu here is amazing and you can’t miss out!
- For my coffee lovers, French Truck Coffee is SO good. Not sure what they put in their vanilla latte but it tastes different…good different!
- We didn’t get to eat any Poboys but Killer Poboys was on our list!
- If you’re wanting a solid cCajun fix that’s more high end, check out Brennan’s Restaurant or Commander’s Place!
- If you’re not trying to break the bank, check out Faubourg Bistro! It’s a small, low-key restaurant and everything is made in house from scratch!
Phew!! That was a lot of information (and trust me, I have more to share!) but I didn’t want to overwhelm you guys! If you want more advice or suggestions, feel free to message me! For my ladies out there that are going in the summer, I heavily recommend getting yourself a good cc creme & setting spray because it’s hot and humid and you don’t want your makeup sliding off! I didn’t wear foundation at all (hence the good cc creme) and I suggest doing the same! As to what to wear, sneakers + sandals were my go-to. I honestly would not bother with heels or wedges! Wear clothes you’re ok with sweating in / getting dirty especially if you’re headed to Bourbon Street! 🙂 Hope you enjoyed this travel guide and be sure to check out the W New Orleans French Quarter for your stay!! Chat soon, loves!
