World Events: Hotels for… Mardi Gras

“Every year, around 1.4 million travellers descend on New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras, a final day of revelry before weeks of Lenten austerity. Though this holiday is celebrated the world over (called Pancake Day, Shrove Tuesday, and Fat Tuesday, among others), nowhere matches the flamboyant extravagance of a New Orleans Mardi Gras.

But if you plan to visit the Big Easy on Fat Tuesday, you’ll need to book your accommodations early – the best rooms book up fast. Here are some tips on where to stay…

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International House Hotel
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Not ready to go all in on the Mardi Gras party? With a location just outside the French Quarter, International House is a good option – here you’ll be close to the action, but not in the thick of it 24 hours a day. At the same time, the hotel’s admirable cultural programme will keep you firmly plugged into the Carnival spirit. Every year it works with Carnival authority Henri Schindler to transform its lobby into an insightful celebration of the Mardi Gras tradition. The theme changes every year, but expect art exhibitions, fancy dress and special food, teas and cocktails.

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The Ritz-Carlton
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Originally constructed in 1908, this stately, Beaux-Arts mansion is a homage to the opulence of America’s Antebellum South. Situated on Canal Street, it’s on the edge of French Quarter, and a few minutes’ walk from all the Mardi Gras action on Bourbon Street. The Ritz-Carlton is a great choice for the sophisticated visitor. Case in point: twice a day, beneath the flicker of crystal chandeliers, there is afternoon tea service in the lobby, which is accompanied by a harpist on weekends. Should you choose to dine at M Bistro, the in-house farm-to-table restaurant, consider opting for a ‘cheater’s booth,’ a private table sectioned off by a heavy velvet curtain (a relic of the Old South).

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Bourbon Orleans Hotel
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The French Quarter, New Orleans’ historic district, is centred around Bourbon Street, a bar-packed strip that runs thirteen blocks from Canal to Esplanade Avenue. During Mardi Gras, thousands of revellers pour down it. Unlike most of the US, Louisiana has relaxed open-container laws – which is to say, you are allowed to drink in public, so long as you do so from a plastic cup. For travellers who would prefer to witness Mardi Gras merrymaking from the relative comfort of their hotel balcony, several rooms at Bourbon Orleans Hotel provide a wrought-iron refuge. (A word of warning: the grand Southern Belle of Bourbon Street, which served as a convent during the late 19th century, is said to be haunted by nuns.)

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Soniat House
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This small, redbrick-and-stucco inn is both exceedingly charming and authentically Creole-style. To say it is well-furnished would be an understatement: many of its paintings, antiques, and ornaments are on loan from the New Orleans Museum of Art. If you’d prefer your Mardi Gras accommodation with a cool, shabby-genteel vibe, Sonait House could be the one for you. It’s perfect for guests that appreciate five-star amenities, but prefer a place with genuine character.

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W New Orleans
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For a French Quarter location with a thoroughly contemporary feel, try the local outpost of chic global brand W Hotels. The courtyard pool – which can get pretty lively on Mardi Gras nights – is gorgeous, and the in-house restaurant specialises in modern riffs on classic Louisiana street food (think pimped-up Po Boys). There’s a great roster of events, from film screenings to cookery demos, and clued-up staff will be able to help you get the best out of your Mardi Gras stay.”