PRICE:
Frommer's Highly Recommended

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the Maison de Ville is not quite as sterling as it has been, despite taking advantage of some storm damage to do some sprucing up in the form of new bedding, new paint, and replaced ceilings. Overall, it remains so romantic and charming that complaints (that it's not exactly run-down but not quite on the ball with all things as it used to be) only seem intermittently important. A newish owner might also change things, but we reluctantly think the prices may be too high to justify it (especially since some rooms have rather stinky A/C). Still, this was the hotel where Tennessee Williams was a regular guest in room no. 9, which, along with atmosphere, has to count for something. Most of the rooms surround an utterly charming courtyard (complete with fountain and banana trees), where it's hard to believe you're in the thick of the Quarter. Rooms vary dramatically in size, however; some can be downright tiny, so ask when you reserve, as price is no indicator of size. Be careful you don't get a room overlooking the street -- Bourbon is less than half a block away and makes its sorry presence known. The far more spacious Audubon Cottages (larger than many apartments, some with their own private courtyards), located a few blocks away and including a small, inviting pool, can go for less than the cramped queen rooms in the main hotel (and are farther from the hubbub of Bourbon). All rooms are thoroughly lush, with nice touches such as feather beds; the service is helpful and courteous, and the continental breakfast disappointing. Overall, it's a romantic getaway -- we just wish it wasn't so expensive. It's hard to justify the high prices for the smaller rooms, and by the time you get some space, the price has inflated to absurd heights for a place without room service.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's New Orleans 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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