Hotel at a Glance: MOXY New Orleans Downtown/French Quarter Area

Right on the cusp of the historic French Quarter, MOXY marries the industrial and the contemporary with exposed beams and neon accents contrasted with distressed wood and retro-inspired decor. Guests gather at the sleek, dimly-lit bar for cocktails. Liquor bottles are illuminated from below with bright colors as they hang suspended in a wraparound display case above the counter. Entering the guest rooms, pillows on the beds proclaim witty pop proverbs like “I woke up like this” or “treat yo’ self”, welcoming patrons and encouraging them to take advantage of New Orleans’ famous party culture.

• Cheers!: Upon checking in, guests are treated to a complimentary drink from the lobby bar, which serves handcrafted cocktails and fresh coffee.
• Goal!: Friends—or friendly strangers—can square off for a little fun competition at the lobby’s foosball table.
• Yum!: The bar’s grab-n-go market is open 24/7, catering to food cravings day and night.

New Orleans’s French Quarter: Let the Good Times Roll

“Stop thinking of New Orleans as the worst-organized city in the United States,” writes author Dan Baum in Nine Lives, his post-Katrina book. “Start thinking of it as the best-organized city in the Caribbean.” Some folks think there is something distinctly foreign about New Orleans, a place where people’s priorities seem inclined toward enjoying life and relishing the moment at hand. Nothing says it better than the town’s unofficial Cajun creed: “Laissez les bons temp rouler,” or “Let the good times roll.”

Historical buildings with intricate wrought-iron balconies line the narrow streets of New Orleans’s French Quarter. Here, street musicians often fill the air with jazz music, their trombones and tubas swinging back and forth. Just off the Jackson Square park and near the towering St. Louis Cathedral, the legendary Café Du Monde serves beignets under heaping piles of powdered sugar. The nearby Frenchmen Street, just north of the Quarter, provides a slightly less touristy taste of New Orleans nightlife. Some of the city’s most popular live jazz and blues bars dominate this historic two-block district, with each venue hosting world-class musicians nearly every night of the week. And then there’s Bourbon Street, where neon lights advertise frozen cocktails and crowds gather along 13 city blocks.