Empress Hotel
New Orleans
At a glance
Located on Ursulines Avenue, the Empress Hotel offers a budget-friendly lodging option for visitors to New Orleans. This hotel provides functional rooms equipped with complimentary Wi-Fi, making it a practical choice for those prioritizing connectivity during their stay. Guests can also benefit from free parking, an advantage for those traveling by car in the city. A shared balcony adds a touch of opportunity for relaxation and mingling among fellow travelers. While the amenities are basic, the Empress Hotel focuses on essential comforts without unnecessary extravagance, appealing to those who prefer simplicity and functionality over luxury. It serves as a convenient base for exploring the myriad attractions offered by New Orleans.
Rated at 2.5 from a considerable number of reviews, the hotel offers a glimpse into its standing among budget options. It functions as more than just a place to sleep, but as a stepping stone for discovering the vibrant culture, food, and historic landscape of the surrounding area. Visitors interested in spending most of their time exploring the city and looking for a no-frills accommodation are likely to find the Empress Hotel an adequate option. While it lacks high-end features, its straightforward offerings are valued by practical travelers. The establishment's blend of essential facilities and strategic location make it a suitable choice for diverse travelers, including solo adventurers, budget-conscious tourists, and small groups.
Reviews
This was easily the least satisfactory hotel I’ve stayed at. While the price was low—which is reflected in the overall experience—the staff was friendly, and the location offers convenient walking access to the French Quarter, along with free parking. The bathroom was clean but dated and worn in appearance. The room itself was quite small and in poor condition. During my stay, I found two small dead roaches in the bathtub and one larger dead roach on the floor beside the bed. Additionally, the room uses a traditional key for entry and does not have an interior safety lock, which raised some security concerns. Due to these issues, I would not recommend this hotel unless you are primarily focused on finding a low-cost place to sleep and are willing to overlook the noted drawbacks.
It's a budget stay for a budget price. So if you're expecting something nicer, book elsewhere. It's location for the price is excellent and within easy walking distance to bus stops/streetcar stops, and a close walk to the French quarters. Most of the time there was 1 person on shift. They were busy handling everything at once but we're always very kind and helpful. It was a comfortable bed for the night. Bedroom was a little dingy in structure but clean enough. We had some stains on the sheet. There was no bath mat on the floor of the bathroom and the cleaning products they use make the floors slick - I used a washcloth on the floor as a bath mat and was charged $1 for "damaging the washcloth" because it got dirty on the floor. Not worth arguing over but a little dumb- it just needed to be washed. Ask for a bathmat. Fridge in the room and a microwave on the outside balcony.
The lady working the front desk tonight was super friendly and sweet. She took time to tell us about the area and the history of the hotel, showed us our room, and helped us with the little things we needed. The room isnt large, but it's big enough to sleep in, set your things down, and relax for the night. The shower was less than great and everything has a bit of that New Orleans funk but the hotel survived Katrina and I didn't come to New Orleans to sit in a fancy hotel. I needed somewhere cheap to shower and sleep and this place delivered. I actually kinda like that you can see the damage from the years. This is a very historical area with a lot of survived challenges. If I wanted a "sanitary experience" I'd pay 3 times as much and it wouldn't really be visiting New Orleans properly and what's the point. I plan on coming back if I visit again. Edit: In the middle of the night our smoke detector started beeping from low battery. I went downstairs and a new employee was behind the desk. She was clearly frustrated and overwhelmed, after waiting several minutes I got a battery from her and changed it myself so it could just be done. Upon check out, the employee was still visibly overwhelmed. Ihad to stand at the desk while I waited for the employee to go upstairs, check the room, come back down, and run my card to give the deposit back. I can't recommend this place now.
The location is perfect, free parking and the staff is very nice. There’s also a very good balcony. The hotel is exactly as showed in the pictures, not disappointing at all if you’re not looking for something fancy. We’ll be back for sure
