Check-in to the Avenue Inn B&B

Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast

Anyone who greets me with with a freshly baked cookie is a friend for life.

The Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast innkeepers, Joe and Bebe, must have a lot of friends because that’s exactly how our stay began.

Having procrastinated on securing accommodations until after the holidays were over, I was in a panic because our annual mother/daughter New Orleans trip was two weeks away and nearly every establishment I checked was booked. Being new to the points/travel game, I started searching chain hotels in the French Quarter but found none less than $300 a night. Then I tried low balling bids on Priceline with no success.

Unwilling and unable to shell out a thousand dollars for a hotel, I focused my search on B&Bs. I remembered our positive stay at the Royal Street Courtyard Bed and Breakfast but unfortunately they were full. Luckily after combing through Tripadvisor, I came across a thread on New Orleans B&B and Inns and jotted down a list of possibilities after reading user reviews.

Comparing location, availability, amenities and cost narrowed my options to the Avenue Inn and Sully Mansion. They both had available rooms with two beds. Ready to ensure we had a place to stay and always looking for a deal, I was intrigued by the “Book it Now” offer under the Special Deals link on the Avenue Inn website. One short call later and we had a room.

I drove in Friday afternoon, picked my my mom from the airport and headed to Saint Charles in search of the Avenue Inn. Bebe called us a couple times to confirm our arrival and make sure we weren’t lost. There is no sign labeling the inn but it’s right next door to a New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co. restaurant.

During check-in, that’s when we were handed two warm, chocolate chip cookies and listened to Joe explain the house parameters. I felt bad for rushing him through his spiel, but we had reservations for Boucherie.

We stayed on the second floor in room #11 which has two double beds, a table, an armoire, vanity mirror and dresser, private bath, television, two walls of windows and plenty of space. The wireless internet is kind of slow, but it sufficed for being free.

The Avenue Inn is a great place to stay in New Orleans for many reasons, here are some of the highlights:

• Free parking! Park either on the street or in the on-site parking lot around the back. The alternatives are valet or a $30 per day fee at most places in or around the French Quarter, or scrambling for public parking at a slightly cheaper daily rate.
• The streetcar stops directly in front of the house. The streetcar system rocks, they run all the time and it’s cheap ($1.25 each ride or $5 for a daily pass). Learn more about New Orleans Street cars and visit the Regional Transit Authority website.
• Location, location, location. Being between Uptown and the Garden District, we walked ten minutes south and were on Magazine street. The French Quarter and Canal street is a 15-20 minute streetcar ride away.
• From 7-10 a.m. they offer a generous continental breakfast which includes items such as bagels, breads, a homemade baked good, pastries, cereal, yogurt, cheese, hard boiled eggs, biscotti, fruit, oatmeal, coffee and hot tea.
• Throughout the day (and night), you can grab free bottles of water and snacks such as cookies, animal crackers, an assortment of chips, raisins and fruit cups.
• The room was large, clean and reasonably priced – a bargain for New Orleans. The house is beautiful, quiet and has an outdoor patio.
• The inkeepers, Joe and Bebe! They are warm and accommodating without being intrusive.

In a previous life Joe and Bebe have years of corporate hospitality service behind them, which has complimented the ten or so years of running the B&B. Read about them on the website.

At one point Joe mentioned that a majority of the general public doesn’t even consider B&Bs when traveling, which I believe due to the number of rooms open when looking online. So, I kind of want to keep this a secret but our visit was wonderful and I highly recommend staying at the Avenue Inn.

Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast
4125 Saint Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115
Phone 504-269-2640
Toll Free 1-800-490-8542
http://www.avenueinnbb.com