The Royal Sonesta New Orleans is the French Quarter's grande dame, a AAA Four-Diamond hotel wrapped around a lush tropical courtyard at 300 Bourbon Street. Its 483 rooms and suites open onto wrought-iron balconies, and the property hides a serene courtyard pool just steps from the Bourbon Street action. Dining is a destination in itself: Restaurant R'evolution serves imaginative Cajun and Creole cuisine, the Desire Oyster Bar shucks Gulf oysters along the corner, and the Jazz Playhouse fills the lobby with live New Orleans music nightly, with PJ's Coffee and the Le Booze bar rounding out the mix.

Outside the front doors, the entire French Quarter is yours on foot. Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, and Cafe du Monde's beignets are a short walk down toward the river, while Royal Street's antique shops and art galleries run parallel to the Bourbon Street buzz. Frenchmen Street's live-music clubs, the Mississippi riverfront, and the Audubon Aquarium are all within easy reach, and the historic streetcar lines connect you to the Garden District and St. Charles Avenue. Louis Armstrong International Airport is about 15 miles away, roughly a 20-minute drive.