There are many B&B's in New Orleans, so it seemed like we were taking a chance when we booked this one which wasn't even listed on TripAdvisor, nor could we find any decent reviews. But its website was whimsical and charming, and the pictures on it are lovely. So we gave it a shot, and well I don't think we could have done better.

Like New Orleans, the Monrose Row had a storied history, but was in shambles when innkeeper Cindy bought it over a decade ago. She has restored it to an elegance that to me embodies the essence of New Orleans, at once scruffy around the edges but richly beautiful in the whole.

When we stepped into Room 2 (there are only 3 in the entire double-house, one of which takes up the whole top floor) in the Carriage house, it felt we were transported through time and space. Stained oak floors shone with years of polish; antique furniture with no two pieces a like; red bricked fireplace in both the bedroom and sitting room; and morning light slanting through the wooden blinds filling the room with shades of amber and romance. A place like this really makes you wonder why anyone would stay at a soul-less chain hotel, especially in a city like this.

When we arrived, Cindy waited up past midnight for us, poured us drinks from her own fridge, and made great breakfast including her signature "Monster" muffins sources to several local coffee shops. When we got stuck in uptown late at night, she got out of bed to help us out. We felt like friends, not guests, staying over. And we wouldn't hesitate send any friends of ours to Cindy.