I'd picked the Hotel Provincial with its' positive reviews and great location as I didn't want to rent or drive a car while we were in NOLA. This is no cookie-cutter chain. The Provincial has lots of charm (in places it could do with less), bucolic courtyards, and a location you just can't beat. Our room was on the 2nd floor in back by the pool, so it was quiet, but tiny. The bathroom was just claustrophobic. I'm 5'10" and had to duck quite a bit to get my hair under the shower head. The toilet is wedged next to the tub/shower and has a door separating it from the sink/dressing area, which sounds good in theory but is REALLY claustrophobic.
Seeing a cockroach (for the first time in my life, might I add) skitter across the tiny bathroom closetlike floor didn't help matters either.
We ended up renting a deluxe room, as that was what they had available for the nights we were there. Not sure what was deluxe about this little room. Room itself is tiny, although I get what they're trying to do with the antiques. However, only having 1 chair to sit on was neither helpful or comfortable. Beds were comfy and linens were nice. There were sticky spots on the carpet by my bed, like someone had pried gum off it but left the sticky residue behind, and the bathroom smelled odd. Lock on door seemed skimpy at best and it felt unsafe with our beds being so close to the door with large shutters on the windows. (now that I think about it, it reminds me of Embassy Suites, and I don't like those doors either. Just feels unsafe.) Ceiling fan looks a bit tippy and tv in old cabinet was just sad looking.
Complimentary continental breakfast was decent (nothing hot to eat, only 1 kind of fruit) but seating is VERY limited, so be prepared to eat outside in the courtyard if the weather isn't too chilly. Pool looked nice, although it was too cold to swim.
Beyond location, the Provincial does offer awesome staff - the only one who was disappointing was the porter who actually didn't carry luggage (or even walk up to our room) but seemed to be expecting a tip anyways. Lame. They even kept our luggage for us as we spent our final hours around NOLA as our flight was early evening.
So if you want some NOLA charm and don't want to drive/rental car - the Provincial is great. But if you like a little more spaciousness in your room and hot food for breakfast, you can find a better deal somewhere else.