It's easy to tell that the Ponchartrain Hotel was a gem in its era. Unfortunately, the hotel is in pretty bad shape. It's an old structure with numerous problems. The rooms are small but comfortable.There are plumbing and electrical problems, serious mold on the walls and ceilings (especially in then bathroom), filthy carpet and a musty smell. (I used a Glade plug-in during my stay) The staff was friendly and there were clean sheets and towels. In all fairness, I don't know how many of the hotel's problems can be attributed to Hurrican Katrina.I'm sure I won't stay at this hotel again.

The room had a very moldy smell, carpets was very dirty, and someone's old shower cap was by the bed, nut shells were behind the bed and candy wrappers. Showercurtain had mold on it. No wash cloths in room and the spare pillow in the closet had hair on it. The blanket and bedspread had stains on it. Called front dest and they could not deliver anything.

MUSTY Smell throughout hotel- Mildew in shower- Wore shoes at all times except to sleep- Paint peeling off base boards, walls and ceilings- No parking

When you enter the Pontchartrain lobby, look up to see a mural of puffy white clouds floating in a pale blue sky. Gaslight chandeliers hint at the hotel’s long history. The Pontchartrain first opened in 1927 as an apartment building! It was later converted into a hotel after the Depression hit. Now it is truly one of New Orlean’s Grand Dames. I could easily imagine Tennessee Williams sipping a cocktail in the Bayou Bar, which opened in the 1940s. Since he was once a guest here, it’s an easy leap of mind to make. In fact, you’ll notice a lot of the suites here don’t have room numbers but famous names the likes of Richard Burton on the doors in homage to a long and steady stream of famous guests. The rooms themselves are all spacious and well appointed with European décor, which feels appropriate for the space. After all, the Pontchartrain gets its name from a count once in the French court of Louis XVI! I was surprised to find in the summer you can stay in a grand suite for less than $200! With a full service restaurant and all the amenities you’d expect from upscale lodgings, anyone is bound to enjoy staying at this fine hotel.

Convenient Location:
In the Garden District, a streetcar runs right by the hotel’s front door. This gives you access to some of the nicest sections of New Orleans so that you won’t have to try to navigate all of NOLA’s one-way streets in your car. But the first place you need to go after you check into your room is to the Tourism Board directly across the street. Hopefully the giant painting of the three dogs by local artist George Rodrigue will still be on loan from the New Orleans Museum of Art. If not, you’ll still smile at the giant statue of the trumpet player you’ll see when you walk inside. The ladies here will help you sort through some of the many activities you might like to enjoy during your stay near the bayou.

Tourist Tidbit::
If you’re Catholic, you might also want to take a walk down residential Jackson Street where you’ll see St. Marys Chapel. While this quaint building was dedicated in 1997, it is on the site of the first church in the entire state of Louisiana that was built in 1844 for German speaking Catholics. Louisiana has a long history with the Catholic Church. The counties here are still called parishes!