ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans has zero on site staff, but the operators are quick to answer emails.

An extra blanket and sheet were quickly dropped off.

I had an issue with mold in the wall AC/heat unit.

I did not notice till I caught a respiratory issue on my final day.

Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans.the issue (and I hope -- cleaned the wall unit before the next guest used my room.

Overall, a very cost effective way to immerse in New Orleans history.

ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

The room I rented at Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans is small but efficient.

Comfy bed, full bath, mini fridge, coffee maker and just enough room to store your stuff.

I could hear other guests at the inn -- through the old walls -- but they got quiet by 11 p.m. at the latest.

The shared patio was great for sitting at while it was warm out.

Other guests were great about observing quiet hours.

ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans is less than a half hour's walk to Canal Street and the CBD.

I booked a trolley-bus weeklong transit pass on my phone for $15.

I used it to save a $40 taxi ride to get from the airport to near Canal Street, then took a leisurely walk through the French Quarter to reach Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans.

ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS 

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans’ AC worked well and so did the heater (temps went from near 80 to below 40 during the Christmas week.)

French Quarter architecture, history, museums, vibe, characters, dining and much more are all within walking distance.

I walked to see great musicians such as: Shawan Rice, Kermit Ruffins, Chris Christie, George Brown and others.

 

 

 

ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS 

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans is in the heart of the action.

It's great to stay in an historic property so close to all the action but far enough away to sleep well.

Frenchman Street and all of its live music is a 10 minute walk away.

Favorite locals food joints Coop's Place, Clover Grill and Verti Marte are also no more than a 15 minute walk from the property.

ROYAL BARRACKS GUEST HOUSE NEW ORLEANS

HISTORIC COTTAGE WITH RARE TRANQUILITY IN FRENCH QUARTER

I did not think it was possible to find a quiet place in the French Quarter till I stayed at Royal Barracks Guest House New Orleans.

Even on New Year's Eve, there was minimal noise.

The reviews cite the tranquility.

When you read the house rules, the proprietor emphasizes quiet hours and being respectful of other guests (there are at least 4 units within the historic single story building.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

For a super urban neighborhood just south of Claiborne Avenue, Goldfinches was relatively quiet at night.

I heard a little bit music from the Candlelight Lounge that’s a block away. The last night I did not sleep well at all.

There was a lot of noise from an adjacent room. Not people partying, just lots of banging around the thuds.  

So be advised, Goldfinches is a house carved up into a bunch of rooms with walls thinner than a hotel’s.

Pack ear plugs and appreciate the low price point of the lodging.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

Probably the biggest negative is there’s really only a tiny window in the Goldfinches’ room so there’s very little natural light because half of that window is taken up by the air conditioning unit.

I’m the kind of person it out and about 16 hours a day, so I just needed to sleep, so the darkness was fine.

But those that need a little natural light might be slightly disappointed. One small negative is it’s three steps up into the bathroom.

One night I tripped and fell on those steps.

Some have commented that the room is too small, but I stayed nearly a week and never felt claustrophobic.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

It’s a tad confusing getting through a gate and storing bags in an outdoor locker, but the staff was amazing.

They addressed every need and every question -- and I’m the kind of person to ask lots of questions.

They had a list of about two dozen things like food, places, offbeat, museums little bars, not so well-known coffee, shops.

All of their recommendations were outstanding.

They mentioned a couple of careworn corner food stores that a tourist would normally never go to.

But I got fabulous Po-boys and gumbo based on their recommendations.

Bottom line, I paid under $100 per night for a room that gave me access to everything I wanted to do in New Orleans.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans has a crime issue and Treme is not a gilded neighborhood, but I always felt 100% safe and walked everywhere.

I never took a taxi home to Goldfinches.

I got home after midnight from seeing the great New Orleans music and I walked the back streets of Treme to see different architecture and unique things while getting back to the room I never felt endangered in the least.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

The Goldfinches room is small but very efficient. I love that there were pots and pans, a microwave and a regular oven.

You can heat up leftovers of the great New Orleans food after storing them in a dorm-sized fridge to that worked perfectly.

The shower has nice long lasting hot water.

The bed was comfortable and there was a little table to eat breakfast at.

The room has good air conditioning and it also has a portable space heater for the cooler winter nights.

GOLDFINCHES LODGING IN TREME

GREAT LOCATION FOR EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO DO IN NEW ORLEANS

There are a lot of pluses about Goldfinches’ great location.

You can easily walk into the French Quarter.

It’s also in the heart of Treme and its attractions such as the Backstreets Cultural Museum, Petite Jazz Museum, a couple cool independent coffee shops and the incomparable Kermit’s Mother-In-Law Lounge on Claiborne Avenue.

On the other side of Claiborne is the Laffite Greenway, which you can walk through Mid-City all the way to Bayou Saint John.

There is a bus line along Claiborne just to the north and Rampart Street just to the south, for good transit connections.

STANDARD LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF LOUISIANA

CLAIBORNE AVENUE, NEW ORLEANS

The classic pylon sign remains, the building is long shuttered.

Despite the popularity of and increased focus on Treme, Claiborne Avenue remains haunted by the freeway rammed through it.

The 1968 Interstate-10 Claiborne Expressway, a massive, elevated highway bisects the town.

Its endless concrete pillars further devastated the existing structure, character and vitality of several core-city neighborhoods.

We believe the freeway should be demolished in the city core, homes and jobs built in its place – and the Rampart Street Car line extended, bus service improved and connectivity enhanced along Claiborne Ave.

COZY BEDROOM IN OLD MIDCITY HOUSE -- PART 6

NEW ORLEANS AIR BNB

Final, final thought.

If you are allergic to cats -- do not book this place. 

Hat's off to JonGunnar's advertisement that makes it clear he has a cat and that his cat is clingy. 

If this bugs you, look elsewhere.

If you are a cat person like me, this will be the best thing -- other than location and price point -- about the house. 

Mooch is a beautiful black cat who lives indoors and out.

He does not meow.

Mooch has a kind of cackling growl for a voice. 

At first, I thought it meant he was going to claw me. 

But he's really just crying for attention in his unique way. 

Mooch also will cry to let you know he needs to go out to go to the bathroom. 

I adored Mooch.

He napped with me and I woke up with him sleeping on my back! 

He cuddled and slept next me. 

I fell in love with Mooch.

He's so affectionate and full of personality, I wanted to take him home.

So if you like quirky and cat-filled Airbnb experiences, you have found a home in New Orleans.

I'd go back in a heartbeat.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5173411

COZY BEDROOM IN OLD MIDCITY HOUSE -- PART 5

NEW ORLEANS AIR BNB

If you like funky, if you can look past clutter, this is a dream spot. 

Two final thoughts. (one will be about the beautiful male cat pictured above)

The biggest negative is the lack of lock on the door. 

There is a lock to the main door, but once you get in, there is no outside lock on your room door. 

That means when you leave, anybody can get in. 

Maybe JonGunnar only gets great guests and this is no issue. 

But even though I don't need chain hotel orderliness, I do want to be able to lock my room from the outside, when I'm gone for the day. 

Even from the inside, the "lock" is a little lever on the ground and I could never get it to line up with the metal piece.

I tossed and turned that first night, feeling like anyone could check in and open my door and walk in on me. 

Turned out I had to place to myself, so the main door lock kept all out -- but still, JonGunnar -- go to a hardware store and invest 50 bucks in a nice door handle lock.

That way, your guest can secure from the inside when sleeping and on the outside when leaving the room for the day and having the peace of mind that all is locked up safe.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5173411

COZY BEDROOM IN OLD MIDCITY HOUSE -- PART 4

NEW ORLEANS AIR BNB

As all other reviewers have noted, this is a house with a lot of character. 

The downstairs is as cluttered as I've ever seen.

Not dirty, but cluttered. 

It's like an artist's warehouse imposed on an old family house's common area. 

JonGunnar is a photographer-artist and must travel a lot. 

I'm also guessing the artist's life does not provide a ton of extra money -- thus some tape fixing cracked windows and a lot of peeling paint and other flaws.

If you demand Marriott cookie cutter, this is not the place for you. 

If you want to live among art and feel like an edgy artist -- this is heaven. 

And the entire bill, booking fee, cleaning fee and nightly rent -- came to just over $200 for 5 days and 4 nights. 

Think about that. 

A noisy, cramped, 150 SF room in the quarter would cost way more than that for one night...with parking and taxes added on. 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5173411

COZY BEDROOM IN OLD MIDCITY HOUSE -- PART 3

NEW ORLEANS AIR BNB

The kitchen has a washer dryer and tons of washing machine soap -- so you can pack super light and wash clothes while using the tub-shower. 

The house is no wheelchair-accessible, but with the homes raised above the flood plain, very few NOLA houses are. 

It's a typical double shotgun with anti-room, living room and kitchen on the ground floor and bathroom and 3 bed rooms on the top floor. 

JonGunnar was traveling when I arrived and his other room was not booked, so I had the entire place to myself. 

Knowing how haunted New Orleans is, that made things a little creepy the first night, but it also meant now hearing others walking up the creaky old wooden stairs plus zero waits for the one bathroom. 

The bed was surprisingly comfortable for a house with mismatched, old furnishings. 

Sam, the person who helps out JonGunnar with making beds etc. when he's on the road -- followed my neurotic requests for extra sheet and towel, layered a certain way.

Both Sam and JonGunnar were available by text to answer all questions -- practical and fun -- before and during my stay.

The response was light speed.

Very impressive. 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5173411

COZY BEDROOM IN OLD MIDCITY HOUSE -- PART 2

NEW ORLEANS AIR BNB

The Banks Street Bar, which sometimes has food and often has music, also is super close. 

But somehow, amazingly, you don't hear the noise of the popular bar, even though it's open well past midnight. 

I'm a noise phobic person. I slept well at JonGunnar's place. 

The fact that each guest room has a wall-mounted air conditioner right over the bed probably helps, as it provides instant white noise to muffle the random dog bark or siren that one would hear in any urban location. 

There is a small off street parking space and always a free on street spot for your rental car within a block of the house at the corner of South Alexander and Palmyra.

Check in is easy.

He texts you the code to the lock box out front. 

There also are bikes that you can use, but I walked to close stuff and used the rental for other distances. 

Note: you do not need an expensive rental car. 

Transit and Uber will serve you well. I only had a car because I was photographing far flung places that were not served by Uber. 

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5173411

TREME

GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD -- TERRIBLE TV SHOW

We loved David Simon's The Wire.

We love New Orleans.

On other shows/movies, we adore most of the cast of HBO's Treme.

So what happened to make this, aside from the musical performances, an unwatchable show?

Maybe because it's very difficult to take the New Orleans out of New Orleans.

The food, humidity, vibe, colorful people, architecture, etc. are best visited in person.

Head to Treme.

Visit Dooky Chase's on the edge of Treme.

Go to the lunch buffet.

Say a prayer for Edgar Dooky Chase Jr.-- how died at age 88 Thanksgiving week.

RIP.

http://www.dookychaserestaurant.com/

CABILDO

LIVING HISTORY ON JACKSON SQUARE

The Cabildo is a low cost, totally wheelchair-accessible place to spend an hour out of the broiling New Orleans sun.

From the Louisiana State Museum website:

“Located next to St. Louis Cathedral and facing Jackson Square, the Cabildo was built under Spanish rule in 1795-1799 and named after the municipal governing body that was located there.”

“Before the transfer of the building to the state museum in 1908, the Cabildo served as a city hall, a courthouse and a prison. The building was designed by Gilberto Guillemard, who also designed St. Louis Cathedral and the Presbytere but the third story mansard roof with cupola was not added until 1847, replacing the original flat Spanish roof and balustrade. On the second floor is the Sala Capitular, or "Meeting Room", in which much of the official business of the building took place.”

“In 1803, the Cabildo was the site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer, the event that acquired the Louisiana Territory for the United States, doubling its land-area. The Cabildo served as New Orleans City Hall until 1853 when it became the headquarters of the Louisiana State Supreme Court and saw the landmark Slaughterhouse and Plessy vs. Ferguson decisions.”

“When the Marquis de Lafayette visited the Crescent City in 1825, the city allowed him the use of the Sala Capitular as his residence. In the 1870's, the building came under gunfire on three separate occasions, all the product of Reconstruction era politics and racial tension. “

“The building was transferred over to the Louisiana State Museum in 1908 and has served to educate the public about Louisiana history since. Unfortunately, in 1988 the Cabildo was severely damaged by fire. Over the next five years, the landmark was authentically restored using 600-year-old French timber framing technology. It reopened to the public in 1994 with a comprehensive exhibit focusing on Louisiana's early history.”

The Cabildo is located along Jackson Square, adjacent to St. Louis Cathedral at 701 Chartres St.

Admission $6  Phone 504 568 6968  

Tuesday - Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed Monday and state holidays.

http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/museum-sites/the-cabildo