Trip report 12/26/2024 - 12/30/2024

Question

Hi all. I’m sitting here reading reviews and forum posts and thought “why not write a trip report?” I haven’t written one in a many years, but we travel to Nola at least once a year - twice if we’re lucky! It is our very favorite city and we cherish each and every opportunity to travel there. This trip was a family vacation with two birthdays to celebrate. My husband and I, our daughter for her 21st, my 79 y/o mother, my cousin for her 35th birthday and her husband travelled the day after Christmas. We all stayed in the FQ at Place de armes in 4 different rooms - 2 king balcony rooms, 1 double queen balcony and one interior room. One of the balconies overlooked St Anne’s and two overlooked Chartres. All rooms were great! I would just recommend contacting the hotel if someone in your part has mobility issues as two of the rooms were accessible only by stairs.

Day 1: We all met at the hotel with one party flying in from Illinois and one party from Wisconsin. After settling in to our rooms, we decided to go to Napoleon House for dinner. We sat in the courtyard with a well placed heater and dined on beef debris po boys, warm muffuletta’s and jambalaya. The Pimm’s Cup flight was especially good as well. After escorting my mom home to her room, my husband and I meandered to Molly’s at the Market for frozen Irish coffees and hit the liquor store on Decatur for beverages for our room. Place de armes now has a mini fridge in each room which was a nice addition. Before we could return to hang out for a night cap on our balcony, we met my cousin and her husband at Pirate’s Alley for Absinthe and a Death in the Afternoon for me. What an amazing first night in Nola!

Day 2 to follow soon. Thank you for reliving it with me!

Answer

It sounds like you had an amazing trip to New Orleans with your family and were able to celebrate two birthdays in style! Staying at Place de Armes in the French Quarter seems like a great choice for such a memorable visit. With its central location, you were able to experience the vibrant heart of the city, and the variety of room views must have added to the charm.

As for the first day, it sounds like you had a fantastic start to your trip. Napoleon House is a classic New Orleans spot, and dining in the courtyard with heaters must have made for a cozy and festive atmosphere. The Pimm’s Cup flight is a unique touch, and I can imagine that it paired wonderfully with the local specialties like beef debris po boys and muffulettas. It's also great that the hotel has made improvements like adding mini fridges to the rooms—very convenient for keeping drinks and snacks on hand. You certainly packed a lot into your first night, with stops at Molly's at the Market and Pirate’s Alley for some drinks and fun. I’m sure your “Death in the Afternoon” was a memorable cocktail experience!

I'm looking forward to hearing about Day 2 of your trip. If you’d like to share more about your experiences, like any favorite restaurants, must-see attractions, or hidden gems you discovered during your visit, I’m sure others would love to hear about them. It sounds like you’ve found some great spots already!

Trip report 12/26/2024 - 12/30/2024

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