Overview
Located about a 4-minute drive from the nearest Interstate 10 on-ramp in New Orlean's city centre, W New Orleans is geared towards business or leisure travellers who require a centrally located hotel with easy highway access, on-site dining and an outdoor pool.
Each air-conditioned guest room is equipped with cable TV, a CD/DVD player, a mini-bar, a coffeemaker, a desk, a safety deposit box, a hair dryer, an iron and ironing board and a bathrobe and slippers for each guest. Rooms with a separate bedroom, a living room, a dining table and an additional bathroom are available and the hotel is wheelchair accessible. In-room Wi-Fi is available for $14.95 per 24 hours.
Hotel amenities include an outdoor rooftop pool, meeting/banquet facilities, a business centre, a bar and laundry services. An area shuttle is also available to guests (please contact the hotel for details). Pets are permitted for $25 per pet, per day and parking is an additional $35 per night.
On-site dining is offered at Living Room Bar (serving light lunch and dinner daily) and Zoe, which is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Harrah's Casino is located 1 minute away on foot, across the street from the hotel, while the Shops At Canal Place is 5 minutes away on foot. The French Quarter is roughly a 6-minute drive away and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) can be found about 20 minutes away by car. (All distances and travel time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified with a front desk agent: Wi-Fi $14.95/day, parking $35/night, pets permitted for $25/pet/day, wheelchair accessible. (Call Date: September 1, 2013)
The GoodThe majority of the reviews sourced for this analysis were positive, with praise going to the hotel's staff, location and rooms.
Numerous guests praised the hotel's staff, characterizing them as informative, friendly and accommodating.
The hotel's location was enjoyed by many reviewers, who found it close to the French Quarter, the riverfront, restaurants, public transit, Harrah's Casino and Bourbon Street. One guest noted, "This property is very well located and within walking distance of restaurants, shops and some local attractions".
Several lodgers were pleased with the hotel's accommodations. They described their rooms as clean, modern, quiet and well equipped, with comfortable beds and great views of the city and Mississippi River. It should be noted, however, that some reviewers had complaints about their lodgings (see below).
The Bad
While the majority of reviews consulted for this analysis were positive, there were some common complaints about the rooms and added charges.
Although several guests were pleased with their clean and modern rooms, some reviewers were disappointed with their accommodations. They reported worn decor and furniture, some cleaning issues, small-sized rooms, noise transfer from the street and cigarette odours in non-smoking rooms.
A few guests complained about the added costs they incurred during their stay, finding the parking fees, Wi-Fi charge, room rates and cost of food to be expensive and overpriced. One lodger stated, "The only negative: from snacks to in-room entertainment, the W has the penchant to surcharge every single little thing, which gets tiring".
TripAdvisor.com guest reviews ranked the hotel #93 of 149 New Orleans hotels with an average rating of 3.5 out of 5 from 980 reviews.
Expedia.ca guest reviews rated the hotel 4 out of 5 with an 81% recommendation rate from 662 reviews.
Booking.com guest reviews rated the hotel 7.7 out of 10 from 16 reviews.
The author called the hotel on September 1, 2013 to verify some information.
