Charming & Authentic with great Location

Guest: Sam (Denver)
Date of Stay: 09/09/11 Review Submitted: 09/13/11

Although we had booked the Slave Quarters, due to renovations, we were redirected to the 2nd floor apartment which was just as charming. Winston was a fabulous host and very personable. Very conveniently located to the French Quarter and Louis Armstrong Park but still far enough for quiet evenings. We will definitely be returning guests.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, adventure seekers.

Well located and charming, but badly mantained.

Guest: Naph (Rochester)
Date of Stay: 02/20/11 Review Submitted: 03/23/11

We stayed at this apartment for four nights just before Carnival. The place has good bones, is decently furnished, and is well located in the residential section of the French Quarter. However, I would not recommend it. The first thing that struck us when we entered the apartment was a strong musty odor. We thought the place just needed some airing out after a long winter. Sadly this was not the case, and no matter what we did the odor did not go away. In fact, our suitcases had a musty smell in them the next time we used them two weeks later (we were able to get the smell out of the cases with Febreze.) I suspect the problem was mold. The kitchen was reasonably well equipped, but the refrigerator dripped water. The general appearance of the apartment was okay, if you didn't look in corners or around the baseboards, which were dirty. The fireplaces had big pieces of plywood covering them up, so they were a liability instead of a asset. The bathroom was okay, but the hot water was a little fussy. There were more than enough towels. The bed was very comfortable. The courtyard, which is pictured several times in the listing was unusable. It was full of leaves and broken flower pots. My wife and I could not even find the fountain. This was a really too bad since the weather was fine, and we would have liked to have taken meals outside. If this place were cleaned up, it would make a really nice place to stay. It is far enough from the noise of central Bourbon Street to allow you to get a decent night's sleep, yet not far from anything in the Quarter. There is a small store across the street for staples which are fairly priced, and a laundry and larger market not far away.

Owner response:The only time these guests contacted us was to ask to stay past checkout time their final day since they had booked a late plane. We were unable to offer them a late checkout (although we offered them a place to store luggage) since we had new guests arriving the afternoon of their departure and the apartment would have to be cleaned. Even at that point the guests never mentioned a mustiness problem, even though they spoke directly to the housekeeper. We’re sorry that these guests didn’t seem to enjoy their stay, but we’re somewhat mystified about their complaint of mustiness. The same apartment was occupied the week before their arrival and the week after their departure, with same day turnarounds and there were no complaints from the other guests. Of course, the building is 180 years old, in New Orleans, and in a tropical climate, so it may have a different ambience than what they are used to, but we don’t think it’s musty, and we are sure it’s not moldy. Most importantly during the four days these guests stayed, they did not contact housekeeping to complain about mustiness, or the owner, who is writing this response, and who lives in the same building about 25 feet away. We urge any guests staying at any property to contact housekeeping or the owner if something needs to be fixed, rather than complaining about it later when it can’t be fixed. Indeed we wonder if the guests brought the mustiness with them. Their complaint seems to be that their luggage was musty and remained musty after they left. We would have thought their clothes might pick up a musty smell if it were really, really musty, but we can’t really imagine that luggage could pick up mustiness by staying open for four days in New Orleans. We can imagine, however, that their luggage picked up mustiness by staying in their own damp attic or basement for an extended period and that they brought the mustiness with them, had it with them in their bedroom, and then took it home. As for the complaint that the guests couldn’t enjoy the fireplace: We’re glad they didn’t enjoy the fireplace and burn the property down! The fireplace box is blocked off with plywood for a reason. It prevents guests from using the fireplace, since the chimneys were removed more than 60 years ago. A fire in the fireplace would have either burned the building down or smoked out the guests. The guest does have a point about the courtyard. During that month the neighbor was rebuildi

Recommended for:

Quite affordable and an excellent manager

Guest: AnnieC (Davis, CA)
Date of Stay: 10/21/10 Review Submitted: 10/29/10

The location and the convenience of being able to cook for ourselves after traveling mostly by train for 3 weeks was a big attraction for us and the apartment filled the bill. We especially appreciated all the information about surrounding restaurants, laundry facilities, grocery stores, etc., very helpful. Other guests had annotated the publications with helpful information. We really recommend the Saturday lunch at Bayona (a short walk away from the apartment). Wow!

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, adventure seekers.

Great apartment, great location, and great service!

Guest: jj2x (Chicago, IL)
Date of Stay: 05/30/10 Review Submitted: 06/21/10

The apartment is basic, but the decor, and the fact that it's 2 floors and facing a cute courtyard made it perfect for our stay. It's close enough to most of the French quarter that walking everyone is easy, yet it's just enough off the beaten path that it's nice a quiet. Also, Winston was awesome...just like other reviews say. He was gracious and helpful and just a joy to be around. He went out of his way to help us with car troubles several times. I will return here whenever we return to New Orleans! Thanks!! - Jeremiah

Recommended for:Tourists without a car, sightseeing, adventure seekers.

Guest: Beth T. (-)
Date of Stay: 02/10/10 Review Submitted: 05/05/10

We stayed in the converted Slave Quarter Suite February 4 - 7, 2010 and enjoyed it very much. It is very cozy and convenient. Winston was incredibly patient with our arrival issues. He even checked in on us the next day to see if he could help with getting our lost baggage. We would recommend staying here to our friends, as well as look into it again for our next visit. Beth T. Raleigh, North Carolina USA

Recommended for:

Guest: Brenda D. (-)
Date of Stay: 11/16/09 Review Submitted: 05/05/10

The Slave Quarter Suite was a great rental, and made for a great vacation! New Orleans was all we expected and more! Brenda D. Wisconsin USA

Recommended for:

Guest: Paul S. and Ed H. (-)
Date of Stay: 10/22/09 Review Submitted: 05/05/10

We stayed in the Slave Quarter Suite for a week, and we really enjoyed it. Everything in the French Quarter felt close and easy to find. The suite was much larger than anticipated, with plenty of room, especially compared to most hotel rooms. The nights were very quiet. With no one above or below and no street noise, even folks from rural settings (like we are) should sleep well. Winston was helpful, although we really had everything we needed available in the Slave Quarter Suite. He directed us to an excellent laundry a block away, which returned our clothes folded and on hangers, just as we would have done it at home. We hope to return. Paul S. and Ed H.

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