First the good stuff - it is undoubtedly a lovely house, well restored. It's in a convenient location for getting to many of the most attractive quarters of the city. Edy, the innkeeper, is a charming host who has lived in the city a long time and obviously loves it. He's as knowledgeable as others have said, and happy to pass on tips and advice, and talk, or not talk, as you wish. The breakfasts vary each day, and are simple but tasty. Although the advertised time for breakfast is 8am, you can pretty much have it any time you like as it's cold, and Edy leaves it out for you until you're done. The courtyard is lovely too.

On the downside, the hotel is very close to the Pontchartrain expressway - and when I say close, I mean 3 houses away. Yes, houses, not blocks. So that does make it noisy, but we actually found steady traffic noise of this sort quite easy to sleep through and so it wasn't really much of an issue for us.

But the thing that really, er, bugged me was the cockroaches. I do understand (now) that these are somewhat par for the course in New Orleans so perhaps I am being unreasonable to expect anything else, but as I'm unfamiliar with the experience, 2-inch long cockroaches appearing as if by magic literally through the walls of the bedroom were kind of challenging. The one that I noticed in my drink just inches from my lips especially so. And the one that crawled on my hair in the bed. Now, we stayed in the Creole Room, which is the only one with bare brickwork and it may well be that the other rendered rooms don't suffer so. These are the American cockroaches, or Palmetto bugs, and they don't infest rooms in the way 'cockroaches' might suggest to a European - we saw and killed (in the room, there were others outside) 3 in 4 days. But they're big, and fast, and they come out at night.

But, if you don't mind a bit of wildlife, go for it!

My husband and I stayed at the Margaret Gardens Inn in May and could not have been more impressed. Edy, the innkeeper, will talk for hours if you wish to hear the history of the inn or will stay out of your way if you prefer to be alone. He taylored breakfast to our favorites and really made our vacation special. We stayed in the Margaret Room and I assure you, you will not be disappointed. It is absolutely beautiful with enormous windows and ceilings and even its own balcony. Our room also had a tv and a ceiling fan, both of which were not listed on the website description. I spent well over 20 hours researching the perfect inn room for the right price and was so impressed with this Inn...I just cannot say enough about it.

A rehabilitated mansion situated between my two favorite parts of town - The Garden District (best restaurants & shops) and The Warehouse District (best music venues). I have stayed at Margaret Gardens at least 7 times over the years, for Jazz Fest, New Years and Mardi Gras. The house is simply gorgeous and the host Eddy Rovelo obviously loves the property and his role as host which is why he's great at it! The courtyard is just really something and a beautiful place to have breakfast or evening cocktails. I can't say enough about the place - you really can't go wrong staying there!

Upon arriving at historical Margaret Gardens, you immediately get swept away by the intimate courtyard setting with shady trees, brilliant flowers and flowing fountains. The guestrooms have balconies that overlook the courtyard exhibiting large ferns and grand view of the Inn's Carriage House. It is the perfect spot for an impromptu gathering for a crawfish feast or for a quiet morning coffee and croissant breakfast served by host Edy Rovelo.

We have stayed there on two occasions, New Year's Eve and for Jazz Festival in April. The accommodations were quite comfortable and affordable. The rooms are spacious with modern bathroom fixtures and our room had a Jacuzzi. The unique furnishings and decor show that there was painstaking attention to detail to recreate the authenticity of the 19th Century.

The high rating for Margaret Gardens is based on a spectacular experience in New Orleans with the help of a friendly host, great restaurants and an "anything but ordinary" guesthouse retreat.