I really feel like I am doing my fellow travelers a favor by informing them of the major problem with this place: Elevators. Seriously, if the structure was a simply four-story thing, I would have considered combining going out and coming in with a workout, by simply using the stairs.

Unfortunately, this is a massive structure and we were on the 28th floor. And basically, the elevators don't work. Yes, I understand that they're working on it. However reading the other reviews, it really sounds like this problem has been systemic to this hotel for quite some time now. We were there for new years, and there were literally hundreds of people staying at the Westin and using 4 elevators, two of which did not work while a third would simply stop at random floors, for no apparent reason other than being willed by its own capricious and erratic mind.

So, basically, bottom-line is sometimes you have two wait up to 15 minutes to get out and people were jockeying and shoving each other for the privilege of getting ahead of the constant lines waiting for the elevators. Not good. Plus, added to that, the hotel starts on the 11th floor. Floors 1 to 10 are dedicated to a mall and a parking lot. So after you've lost a few hours of your life waiting for a lift, you then have to take another elevator (these ones are much faster, thankfully) to reach the ground.

Other than that, the hotel itself is fine. Sure, it's a little dusty and the maid service unpredictable, but I don't really care about that. Feeling the same sort of dread as living on a sixth floor walk-up in New York City really got to me.

So here is my advice: If you're a smoker and need to nip out for a puff every hour or so, stay somewhere else. This will drive you crazy. If you have elevator anxiety, the constant creaking and cracking and temperamental behavior will make you nuts. At the very least, demand to stay on floor 12 or 13 so you can use the stairs. I am absolutely prepared to stay here again, but only if these maddening elevators are fixed.

We ended up at this hotel, via a prepaid website, for part of the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve; and it was well worth what we paid. I would not currently recommend paying full price. The parking garage takes up the 1st ten floors so the lobby is on the 11th. Everything else rises above the lobby. With the view of the Mississippi, that should be amazing, and it would be if the elevators weren't run by very slow gnomes. There are only 4 elevators going up from the lobby to the 18 floors above, and one was not working during our entire visit. The elevator gnomes have 2 speeds: slow and slower. Every so often they let the elevators pass your floor over and over for up to 10 minutes before they stop. I think they intentionally stopped on the floors above and below us just so we could hear the elevators passing us by. My wife and I wondered why the hotel hadn't set up daiquiri vending machines in the hallways so we could spend the time waiting for the elevator.

Then there was the construction. Every morning, probably about 9, someone started whacking on the wall, or maybe inside the elevator shaft, with a hammer. He was careful not to be rhythmic in case we got used to it, and regularly changed hammers to vary the tone and depth of the din.

BUT, the view of the Mississippi cannot be beat! Ask for a high floor facing the river. The room was overall very quiet. Other than the hammer, we heard nothing from outside our room except for passersby in the hallway. The amenities were good. The hot water was plenty hot. All was clean. The cold water pressure was a little soft in the mornings, but not really a problem. The staff was courteous and professional. Not terribly warm, but no complaints. They probably had a hard time being courteous and professional with the elevator and construction problems.

If you can get a deal from prepaid site and you're not in a hurry when you get to New Orleans, this Westin is worth the price. If they ever get the elevator problem remedied it will be a great hotel with a great view. Avoid it if you're traveling for business because the elevators will add about 15 minutes to the time it takes just to get to street level.

I am on the first night of a 3 night stay I booked here at the Westin New Orleans. I am a Platinum member of SPG. I travel ALL over the US and stay frequently in Westin Hotels. I can tell you that I have never stayed in such a dirty and dilapidated Westin. WTF?? I know New Orleans isn't known to be the cleanest of cities, but I really expected more from Starwood. How do they let one of their properties deteriorate to this. Starwood should change the name of this place to Sheraton. If you have stayed in a Sheraton lately, then you know what I mean.
So here are the first things that I have noticed so far: 1) The elevators are really slow and messed up, and the carpet on floor and in elevators are really dirty like a cargo elevator. 2) valet parking is $42 a day. I think it was cheaper in San Francisco. 3) the smell of sewer gas in the hall when you are walking off the elevator to your room. 4) only 1 wash cloth and 1 bar of soap in my bathroom. 5) tiny tv in room 6) work out room was in a meeting room and had very little equipment and no mirrors on the wall.
The people were really nice when I checked in. I feel sorry for the nice people who work here because I am sure that everyone that stays here constantly complains about everything to them.
The hotel is in a good location if you are going to the French quarter.
Overall, I would never stay here at this Westin again. I was really confident that this was going to be like all the other Westin Hotels that I have stayed in, but sadly it isn't.
Very poor quality hotel.

Our first visit to NOLA and after much research we decided on the Westin. We loved the location. Very convenient. We parked our car when we arrived and didn't get back in the car until we left NOLA 4 days later! The hotel was clean, friendly, safe, and very enjoyable. The elevators are in the midst of being replaced so they were very slow. We waited as long as 20 minutes (on the 29th floor) at one point.