The Royal Sonesta is a haven of tranquillity in the hustle and bustle of Bourbon Street and New Orleans! It felt much more like a 5* hotel rather than a 4*, it's very luxurious, the staff are wonderful, and the pool is lovely! The rooms are large and comfortable and perfect for returning to after a busy day in the city. You couldn't get a better location!

This place is beautifully appointed and charming. The staff is wonderful. This place is on the main drag. If you want to be in the center of it all and don't mind not sleeping until 4 a.m., this place is for you!! I do believe there are rooms that don't oversee the main drag and I wish I had one of them. If so, my review would be slightly different. If pleasure is the reason you are here - go for it. If you want the craziness and the debauchery the French Quarter has to offer with 5 star accommodations - go for it! If you are there for business, look slightly further.

Stayed at the Royal Sonesta in June 2012 because I wanted to be near Bourbon Street being that having a car was pointless. It was the best decision I made because it was right in the middle of all the action. Check in was very easy and quick. The room, though small and a little dated, was very comfortable. And the best thing I enjoyed about this hotel was that when I was ready to escape the "fun" of Bourbon Street, I could walk through the doors of the Royal Sonesta and enter a totally new world where I felt safe.

Stayed in September 2012. First time in N'awleans. This is a lovely hotel inside and out. You can't get any closer to all the craziness of the French Quarter/Bourbon Street experience. Ornate, refined lobby with fresh flowers everywhere. Great Blues/jazz club right off the lobby. The staff were friendly, enthusiastic and always helpful. We really enjoyed the interior "courtyard" with lots of pool action, easy-going bartenders and other guests from all over the place.
Now, we had a few minor issues. The door and lock combo to the courtyard was misaligned and difficult to open and close. Nice looking door, but not very functional. Perhaps the worst surprise was our first night when we arrived from Canada via Arkansas. Opened up some drawers to put our clothes away and found in the drawers.........drawers (AKA underwear), just slightly used, quite racy and exotic, I might add. Next drawer contained some very colourful wigs or they might have been hair extensions, also slightly used looking so we knew it wasn't some strange local gift, like a shower cap or some such freebie. The last things we found were a few plates and some cutlery. This appeared clean and unused.......which was great because I then used the cutlery as salad tongs, gingerly picked up the skimpys and wigs, put that gross stuff on the plates and deposited the drawer "surprise package" in the garbage without having to touch it with my hands. Luckily we had some sanitizer (don't leave home without it), so we used that on the drawers, waited 'til morning, then unpacked our clothes and put them in the drawers. To be fair, maybe the maids do not check drawers as part of their cleaning routine. If they don't, they should. Finding this stuff was an unpleasant experience, but it makes for a good story, and in some ways, mirrors the New Orleans style. We howled about it later. No harm done really. Perhaps the previous occupants had too much of a good time on their last night. Yup, that could happen. All in all, this is a good hotel in a great city. You should go.