Hotels?

[Saint Greg]

I've read numerous reviews from people booking through Hotwire saying they were given "inferior" rooms. Have any of you had that experience? I'm hoping to book the Hilton Riverside for 3 nights before a cruise but would like a river view. It will be over Thanksgiving - don't know if that's a really busy time or not and if I can request a river view. Thanks!

 

I'm going to say I stay in Hotwire rooms 15-20 times a year and that hasn't been my experience. The two things to be careful of are if you need a two bed room, make sure you search hotwire for 2 adults, 2 children. Other than that just make sure you have a good hotel. I once booked a 3 star in the Dallas area that had a 15% recommendation. It was so bad I stayed on the phone with hotwire until they agreed to switch me to another hotel. I'll never book another room with a bad recommendation again....no matter what the star rating is.

 

Now I've had problems with Priceline. First off if you need a two bed room priceline only books double occupancy which they consider a one bed room to be double occupancy. I once had them stuff me in a corner room so small you could only get to one side of the bed. Another time I booked Bourbon Orleans on priceline and they put me in a room right next to an area they were remodeling...so I woke up to the sound of power tools in the morning. The only way I'll use priceline is if I'm by myself and I just need a place to sleep real quick while traveling.... If I want to ensure a pleasant hotel stay I use Hotwire.

 

I'll post some pics of some of my Hotwire rooms.

[Saint Greg]

I've read numerous reviews from people booking through Hotwire saying they were given "inferior" rooms. Have any of you had that experience? I'm hoping to book the Hilton Riverside for 3 nights before a cruise but would like a river view. It will be over Thanksgiving - don't know if that's a really busy time or not and if I can request a river view. Thanks!

 

 

Here are some of my Hotwire rooms:

 

Hyatt Regency

 

 

View from Hyatt Regency room on Saints game day.

 

 

View from Hilton Riverside room

 

 

Sheraton on Canal

 

 

Canal street view from Sheraton room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

Country Inn and Suites

 

 

 

 

Four Points by Sheraton

 

 

 

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

Doubletree (Dallas)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Saint Greg]

Holiday Inn Chateau LeMoyne

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[okeytaco]

Wow! Thanks for all the photos. Your view at the Hilton Riverside is exactly what I want but the price just keeps going up for my dates November 24-27. Thanksgiving is the Bayou Classic so that may be affecting prices. One day last week I saw it for $150.00 and booked it but when I finished with the paying part it said "Session timed out" and didn't accept my payment. When I tried again the price had gone back up. Do you know which hotel is 3* Boutique hotel in the FQ/Miss area with 95% and right now is $141? So appreciate your help. Hope you're having a fun 4th of July!

Edited July 4, 2016 by okeytaco

[okeytaco]

Nevermind about the 3* hotel. I read the reviews on the app and lots of rooms don't have windows. That would never do!

[riffatsea]

We will also be in town on Saturday Dec.3(and Sunday the 4th) We are staying at the Embassy Suites/Lofts which I got for $134 on the hotel web site and then used pts. to upgrade to a Loft suite.

The Riverside Hilton is less money on Hotwire but I figured that if I added in the full bkfsts(with mimosas and bloody mary's on Sunday) +the happy hour drinks and apps, the prices come out very close!

Not too many cruisers seem to talk about that hotel but DH loves the convenience of having food and drink right there, especially when he wakes up!

[okeytaco]

If we stay at the Hyatt Regency pre-cruise and park at the Fulton Street Parking where is the street car line from Fulton? Will it be the Loyola line?

[okeytaco]

Riffatsea - I appreciate your reply here. We enjoy Embassy Suites so I finally got "un" fixated on the Hilton Riverside and checked Embassy Suites out and then booked it. It was cheaper than the current price of the Hilton and we'll have a two room suite instead of just a room which for a 3 day stay will be much nicer. Looks like a piece of cake to get to the port. We'll park at Fulton Street garage on Thursday and Sunday morning (after partaking of a mimosa or two!) stroll on over to the terminal. Are ya'll cruising out on the Dream on the 4th?

[riffatsea]

No sorry, We're on the short Triumph cruise on the 5th.

We've never done a 5 day cruise but it fit in with our plans this time so we are trying it.

The 3rd is my b-day so we'll be celebrating that night!

Not sure we'll have energy to leave the hotel after our flight but we will certainly be having a drink!

Are you in the Lofts or at the original Embassy Suites??

I understand they have separate areas for the nightly happy hour.

[okeytaco]

Well it looks like we won't cross paths as we get back off the Dream on the 4th. I don't know if you saw the post with detailed directions from the Embassy Suites to the Erato terminal. If you travel light this might be a possibility. Otherwise a cab, although it will take longer, might be worth it. "When you leave the hotel, take a left on Julia Street (the hotel is on Julia) and you will see a walkway leading to Riverwalk Outlet Mall. Take the escalator of the elevator (not sure what exactly they meant here - maybe there's an escalator TO the elevator) to Riverwalk. Walk straight across and you will see double doors. They lead to a covered walkway on your right. The walkway leads to stairs that will take you back to ground level and you are at the Erato Street terminal." PS: Have a great birthday! ~ Linda ~

[riffatsea]

Sorry we'll miss you !

Thanks for those walking directions. I have copied them in an email to myself. We travel VERY light!!:p:cool:

Laura

[margiandmike]

Saint Greg, what is going on the weekend of October 22nd? I can't find a decent priced hotel in the action, but when I search events in NOLA, there isn't anything. Almost all of the hotels are $200+. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

[Saint Greg]

Saint Greg, what is going on the weekend of October 22nd? I can't find a decent priced hotel in the action, but when I search events in NOLA, there isn't anything. Almost all of the hotels are $200+. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

 

 

 

I'm not aware of anything. The Saints are out of town. Voodoo fest is the next weekend. Sometimes randomly prices will be high and I'll find out there was a doctor's convention or something. You looking for fri and sat or sat and sun nights?

 

 

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[riffatsea]

I found this Halloween parade in the French Quarter on the 22nd:

http://www.kreweofboo.com/

[DB ZB]

We stayed there a few weeks ago, it's a great location. We parked our car at Fultons and walked the city for 2 days. There is a street car stop right at the hotel plus taxis always waiting. We walked to the terminal cruise morning thru the mall. Enjoy!

 

Very good to know. Thanks April J!

Edited July 6, 2016 by DB ZB

[DB ZB]

I walk it. It's probably 8-10 blocks. But for people who want/need to minimize walking you can walk across the street and catch the Canal street car on the other side of Harrahs. Take it a couple stops down to Bourbon. Get off and walk up Bourbon, take your first left on Iberville and it will be a block down on your right....or get on the riverfront streetcar which is the one right outside Hilton Riverside...take it one stop down to Bienville. Walk about 5 blocks down Bienville, take a left on Dauphine and it's a block down on your left.

 

Thanks Saint Greg! I will be sure to take these directions with us. Not sure I trust my sense of direction to walk it from the hotel. We downloaded our street car passes so we may opt for the canal street car going and then walk back. We will need the exercise after eating at Deanies;)

[DB ZB]

We stayed there a few weeks ago, it's a great location. We parked our car at Fultons and walked the city for 2 days. There is a street car stop right at the hotel plus taxis always waiting. We walked to the terminal cruise morning thru the mall. Enjoy!

 

Very good to know. Thanks April J!

 

We are looking at the walk from the Hilton down iberville to Deanies. Did you walk that area and was it reasonably safe. Hard to tell by some of the google map views.

 

Thanks!

[margiandmike]

I'm not aware of anything. The Saints are out of town. Voodoo fest is the next weekend. Sometimes randomly prices will be high and I'll find out there was a doctor's convention or something. You looking for fri and sat or sat and sun nights?

 

 

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Saturday and Sunday. I was wondering if I should just wait and keep an eye on prices. Thanks for your help.

[NurseMarla]

Just booked and we got the Hilton Riverside for $99. Yay!

[Saint Greg]

Saturday and Sunday. I was wondering if I should just wait and keep an eye on prices. Thanks for your help.

 

I hate to make a recommendation on if you should wait or not. When hotels are high I've seen them go down by waiting..but then I've also seen them skyrocket to a ridiculous price as well. My instinct is that the prices could go down. There are A LOT of hotwire hotels for your nights...more options than I usually see. That makes me think there are alot of available rooms and prices will go down.

 

Here are some under $200 options I see on Hotwire for your nights.

 

$121 4* French Quarter-Bourbon Street 80% recommendation - Astor Crowne Plaza

 

$114 3.5* Downtown-Superdome 85% recommendation - probably Hilton Garden Inn

 

$141 3* Warehouse District all suites hotel 95% recommendation - Staybridge Suites

 

$134 4* Downtown-Superdome 95% recommendation - This one is interesting. My best guess is Intercontinental. If so it's been downgraded. Intercontinental has been 4.5* for the past couple years. The 4* downtown has been Hyatt Regency the past couple years but Hyatt isn't pet friendly as this one specifies. Intercontinental is.

 

$189 4* Downtown-Superdome 75% recommendation - This looks like another downgrade for a 4.5* hotel. Le Pavillon

 

3.5* French Quarter-Mississippi River 75% recommendation - Doubletree

 

$159 3.5* Warehouse District boutique hotel 75% recommendation - probably the Blake Hotel

 

$197 4* Warehouse District 85% recommendation - The Old no. 77 Hotel and Chandlery

Edited July 8, 2016 by Saint Greg

[dcruisers]

Looking for hotel in NOLA Jan 27 $ 28 for cruise leaving 29 on NCL Dawn. We need 4 rooms. Do any hotels have shuttle from airport to hotel? Or from hotel to port. We don't mind taking cab to port but it would be great if we could get transportation from airport for 8 adults plus luggage.

 

I realize hotels in FQ would be more expensive so recommendations for hotels within walking distance woukd be good.

Thank you!

[margiandmike]

Thank you SaintGreg. I've been out of town and away from my laptop. I really appreciate all the information. So, we will be driving in and don't want to pay the super high hotel parking rates. Should we stay near Fulton's Garage and just park there early, should we do a park and cruise hotel, or can we find cheaper public parking by any of the hotels? Thanks for all your help. You are truly a gem.

[snedecor]

Saint Greg,

 

I must say you are indeed a saint, and a Hotwire maven, and I'm wondering if I could ask you for help for our pre-cruise Hotel stay.

 

November 10-12, (Thursday and Friday nights) leaving November 12 on Triumph.

 

On regular sites, most hotels near to the parking garages are $200-$400/night! Saints don't play until Sunday, don't know why rates are so high.

 

We're looking for more like $100 a night if we can get on the same side of the river, and less than that if on the Westbank area...

 

Can you help me navigate Hotwire? Do I need to post the results here?

 

Another kicker that I just found out about is parking. Most downtown hotels seem to charge $40/night parking and more, which adds heartburn to a cheap hotel price. Any way to tell on Hotwire or any other site what parking rates are for the hotels?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

Gayle Snedecor