Alana M.
Yelp
I guess it pays to get your name out there! At the Louisiana Welcome Center, they have hotel flyers and this one looked really cute and the price on it was pretty good! That was about as good as it got, as you will find out in my review.
I called to see about the rate and got a quote, and was told there was a parking fee. I did not know is was by valet only. It cost $28 per car per night. And if that weren't enough, there was a $3.36 Parking Sales Tax added. Ouch! Since there are only meters nearby and out on the street where it might not be very safe, there really is no suitable alternative. Trust me, there are people milling on the streets all night long, even when it isn't Mardi Gras time! Plus, when you tip the valet to take care of your car and to retrieve it, it all adds up!!
So, we arrived to the hotel and checked-in. It went smoothly enough. I do remember that we got the AAA discount rate initially, but then she saw the flyer for the hotel I had in my hand and gave me a slightly lower rate. It still wasn't what the flyer said it would be, but I didn't argue.
As for the lobby, it was small. There was room for just one person behind the "front desk". At the other end of the room, there is a small table and 2 chairs in what looks like a study area.
The corridors to the rooms are pretty narrow. The room doors have character to them, they have raised decorative work on them. The room itself was charming, as in old-fashioned and kind of unique.
When you enter the room, you feel like you are stepping back in time. It is furnished with antiquated items. They kept with the theme even with the TV, an old small one. I was surprised it wasn't a black & white! www.yelp.com/biz_photos/prince-conti-hotel-new-orleans#X4Z7Wr47QoA66M-LSdFD_A There was a cute full length mirror on a stand, but the mirror portion wanted to swing almost to horizontal. We used the wall to somewhat hold it in place. www.yelp.com/biz_photos/prince-conti-hotel-new-orleans#YsAjBCuZQ7Ca8sOnqC7ODA
The thing that stood out about the room was the skylight. It was pretty cool to see the moon while lying in the bed. Don't forget to use the pole with a hook to pull the shade or the morning light will shine brightly down on you! www.yelp.com/biz_photos/prince-conti-hotel-new-orleans#jh8cGEO9xCEeunq03Z5c6g As you can see from the picture, the paint is cracked up in the nook and needs to be repaired.
There is a desk & a chair. If you were actually working with a laptop and needed some space, you would have to clear off the cups & ice bucket, and the coffee maker & mugs. Just not enough room otherwise.
The bathroom sink was not really sufficient since it just was a sink with no counter. There's a glass shelf above the sink, so we made do and put a few things on it.
The room does not come with a mini-fridge nor a microwave. They don't have any available room for those items, anyways. But, it is a feature which comes in handy when you are travelling.
This hotel served its' purpose. We walked to the river and to Cafe du Monde and around the French Quarter. I will more than likely choose another hotel next time, if we come back to New Orleans!