I absolutely loved this hotel. The staff was so nice and the grounds were beautiful. The location couldn't have been better if you're like us and truly enjoy the French Quarter. We took advantage of the Acura Experience promotion that they offer and hitched a ride to dinner in a beautiful Acura MDX (much nicer than a cab!).
The one and only complaint is that they were having trouble with the key card system, so that was a little bit of a pain.
I'd highly recommend this hotel for the grounds, the location and of course, the sonderful service from the staff.

This is a great W hotel. Normally I find the decor very cheesy, but it is done well here. It is in the French Quarter, a couple of blocks off Bourbon, but also close to the antique shopping on Royal, great restaurants like Mr. B's and Nola, as well as Jackson Square and Cafe DuMonde.

My husband and I both lived in New Orleans at one point, and were a bit leery of staying the quarter, but this hotel has a great vibe, and was very convenient for our weekend plans. It really felt like a fun boutique hotel - not a national chain.

Pros
-Great French Quarter courtyard
-Close to a lot of attractions
-Clean, modern rooms
-Attentive service
-Our room had a nice balcony, perfect for a glass of wine in the evening

Cons
-Loud - but this is the French Quarter and it's to be expected
-Parking was $32 a night, not bad for the Quarter, but if you really don't need a rental car, opt for a taxi

Perfect Location for New Orleans Long Weekend. Close enough to Royal Street for Shopping and far enough away from Bourbon Street. This Hotel has Location, Ambience and Service.
Excellent!

The W provided samples of sparkling wine in a can on Friday Afternoon inhte Courtyard. All Staff was friendly but not too friendly.

Where do I begin? My wife and I booked this trip through the Starwood Preferred Guest reservation service. We stayed here May 12-16. When we arrived at the hotel to check in, I asked if we could upgrade to a larger room. Our Gold Starwood Preferred Guest Status calls for our automatic upgrade upon arrival but I make it a point to always ask - just in case. The girl at the desk said they didn't have anything available. Keep in mind that we arrived after Mardi Gras and the Jazz Festival -- there was nothing going on in New Orleans at this time and it was a Monday to boot!

When we got to the room we noticed that we did not recieve a King Bed as we requested; it was a Queen that they tried to pass off as a King -- We have a King Bed at home and know the difference. The room needed updating. The carpet was worn down, the furniture looked weathered and scratched and there were only two drawers (small ones) in the entire room to put away clothes! The room was also kind of dirty. There were stains on the carpet and on the walls and dust everywhere. The bellman told us that we could use the room refrigerator for our own use if we liked but would need to take out the refreshments that were already in there and put them back in when we departed if we didn't want to get charged for them. Upon inspection, the hotel provided refreshments had exceeded the expiration dates printed on the bottles! Why would they still be in there? Can you imagine how skunky the beer must be if guests take them out, let them get warm and then put them back in when they leave over and over again?

Room service was a disapointment. They brought it up on a tray with no chair as the room only had one and no table. I asked the waitress if we could have another chair and a rolling table as most hotel room service provides and she said they did not have any to provide. We had to eat in bed which proved to be quite uncomfortable. The food wasn't even that good. Room service had to be called again as they forgot the sugar for the coffee.

Parking was another thing. Not until we checked out did we notice on our bill that they charge for parking -- alot! We got charged $32 plus tax per day for parking. For that kind of money I shouldn't have to go to the front desk everytime I pull in to ask for someone to come out and get my car which happened every night.

The ambiance was strange. They tried to make the hotel a little too chic and trendy. The elevator was dark. I had to look real hard to find which button to press as the lighting was turned way too low. The hallways were lit the same way -- very wierd. The courtyard was a nice touch with a garden, fountain, pool and lounge chairs. The didn't keep the pool clean however, so my wife went in only 2 minutes after the only time she saw them clean it for a few minutes. The walls were also very thin so we heard every door on our floor close and we had a courtyard view so we heard all the conversations emanating from outside as well.

The people of New Orleans were very friendly. If casino gambling is your thing, Harrah's is great. The dealers are super friendly and the food is decent -- John Besh's Steakhouse is a must try; very expensive but good service and the food is great. Lots to see around town, too. Bourbon Street is noisy at night even during the low season but lots to do in the way of barhopping, jazz clubs and restaurants and bistros. We had dinner at Tujagues one night. It is home to New Orleans' first stand-up bar and has been in business since 1856. I would not recommend this place. It cost over $100 for two with tax and tip and they had a set menu with only four choices of entrees. The food was so simple you could make the same thing at home -- not worth it!

If you've rented a car you could see alot in New Orleans and the surrounding area. We drove around the areas that have still not come back from the devastation of Katrina. It's heartbreaking to see how large an area was actually affected firsthand and how hard these people are working to bring their neighborhoods back. I feel it's a testament to the fortitude of New Orleanians. We also crossed the Causeway from the City Park area to Mandeville. This crossing is a modern marvel! We traveled nearly 30 miles across Lake Pontchartrain on this causeway surrounded by nothing but water! A great ride.

All in all it was a good trip in light of such shoddy service and accomodations at the W. We will go back again someday but we will never stay at The W New Orleans French Quarter again!