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Hotel Monteleone is an iconic, historic hotel in the heart of New Orleans, Louisiana. I was looking for a dog-friendly hotel that was within walking distance of all the activities I wanted to do with my dog, Kuma, and this hotel fit the bill.

It’s definitely more on the expensive side, but I like to splurge every once in a while on hotel stays and I thought this place was worth it since it was a historic hotel from the late 1800s with rave reviews and it also has a floor that is known to be haunted.

HISTORY

Hotel Monteleone was built in 1886 and is family-owned. Now in the fifth generation of Monteleones, it remains one of the last family-owned hotels in the city.

Antonio Monteleone immigrated to America from Sicily in 1880 and six years later, he bought a 64-room French Quarter hotel on the corner of Royal and Iberville streets. It was originally called the Commercial Hotel and in 1908, it changed its name to Hotel Monteleone.

Since then, there have been many renovations and the hotel now has 600 guest rooms including 55 luxurious suites along with ballrooms, dining rooms, cocktail lounges, a sky terrace, swimming pools and of course, the iconic Carousel Bar.

The hotel is also a Literary Landmark with important literary figures claiming Hotel Monteleone as a home away from home, including William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, and more.

In honor of these famous authors, the hotel has several Literary Suites named after them.

If you love haunted hotels, Hotel Monteleone is famous for haunted tales as well. Generations of hotel guests and staff have regularly experienced haunted events. The 14th floor (which is actually the 13th floor) is said to be the most haunted with sightings of a young ghost named Maurice.

About that 13th floor - I never realized this but most hotels do not have a 13th floor because of triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13.

FIRST IMPRESSION

I was a little nervous driving into a big city in the middle of the French Quarter, but the drive was actually pretty easy and straightforward. I was easily able to navigate to the front of the hotel where I dropped my car off for valet.

Valet parking is the only option at this hotel (and most hotels around the French Quarter in New Orleans) and it is $50 per night. My car was parked in a parking garage right across the street and it is very secure, as I witnessed it myself when I had to go back to my car later to retrieve something.

As soon as I pulled up to the front of the hotel, a friendly bellhop approached me with a small rolling cart to help bring my luggage in. I had a lot of luggage since I was on a cross-country road trip, so I didn’t think he could fit all my stuff onto the small rolling cart he had, but I was wrong. He fit every single piece of luggage onto that thing. They are pros.

The bellhop asked for my name and also Kuma’s name and every time I saw him in the hotel afterwards, he would always address me by my name AND Kuma’s name. It’s hard enough remembering all the guests’ names, but remembering the pet’s names is a whole other level. I was very impressed by that.

While I was checking in, the bellhop waited for me and showed me to my room on the third floor at Room 376 which was all the way at the end of the hall. He brought in all of my luggage and asked if I wanted extra bottled water. My room already had two bottles of water in the fridge, so I didn’t need any at the time, but I did ask for more later.

THE ROOM

I booked a Standard King Room and the size of the room was a little smaller than average hotel rooms, but I still had plenty of space to lay out my things. In comparison, typical hotels I usually stay at like the Drury Inn are about 300 square feet. This room was 240 square feet.

Everything in the room was clean with antique-looking furniture. The hanging chandelier with gold frame mirror, chair, and frames gave it that old-world charm vibe.

Right when I walked in, there was the bathroom to the left and a closet to the right. The bathroom was small with minimal counter space. I had to move some things out of the way on the counter so that I could make more room to store my things.

Another problem I had with the sink area was that the faucet seemed to leak every time I used it. I would notice puddles of water underneath my toiletries after I washed my hands or brushed my teeth. It was a little annoying, but not a dealbreaker.

Toiletries were provided by Gilchrist & Soames which included soap, lotion, hand sanitizer, shampoo, and conditioner. A shower cap and a vanity kit were also provided along with many towels.

The shower had great pressure and the temperature of the water stayed nice and hot.

In the closet were an iron, ironing board, two robes, extra blankets, extra toilet paper, tissue paper, six hangers, and an umbrella. I always appreciate hotels that provide extra blankets because I get cold easily.

Past the bathroom and closet is the bedroom with a large king-size bed. I had the best sleep on this bed. I’m pretty sure I slept over 8 hours and that never happens with me. The most sleep I get is 6 hours since I’m a light sleeper. I felt great the next morning after that great night’s sleep.

The room also has a desk, a Keurig coffee machine, TV, digital safe, ice bucket, and a refrigerator with two bottles of water that were complimentary.

My room faced Royal Street and I had views of people walking the street with street musicians playing loud music. In fact, the music was so loud that I originally thought the music was coming from within the room.

When I realized the noise was coming from outside, I was concerned at first, but they were usually gone by 8pm. If you plan on sleeping in the room during the day, I would definitely keep this in mind.

AMENITIES

Free WiFi

There is complimentary WiFi at this hotel and it worked really well for me at all hours of the day. If you want faster internet speeds, you can pay $5 for it, but their free WiFi worked just fine.

Carousel Bar & Lounge

The Carousel Bar is one of the most iconic things to experience in New Orleans and it’s located on the first floor of Hotel Monteleone. It’s the city’s only revolving bar and for decades, guests and tourists have come to visit the bar to take a spin on the 25-seat circus-clad Merry-Go-Round.

I was excited to sit at the famous Carousel Bar, but I was never able to because it was always packed. You’d have to be very lucky to find a seat right away. The only way to get a seat here is just to wait until one of the guests at the bar leaves. Even then, you’ll be waiting along with other guests trying to grab a seat as well.

I opted to sit at the other bar across the lounge and enjoyed the live jazz band that played on Thursday night.

Criollo Restaurant

Hotel Monteleone also has a popular on-site restaurant called Criollo serving Creole cuisine, which is what New Orleans is known for. They are only open during breakfast and brunch hours and can get very busy, so make sure to make reservations or arrive first thing in the morning.

I did not have time to try Criollo, but I did try their chicken sliders when I visited the hotel’s bar and lounge. It was tasty, but very pricey for a small appetizer.

Rooftop Pool, Bar, and Fitness Center

The rooftop pool is small with about 10-15 lounge chairs but has an amazing view of downtown New Orleans. There is also a bar next to the pool as well.

The fitness center is superb. It’s spacious and you get an amazing view overlooking the city while you work out.

PET-FRIENDLINESS

Hotel Monteleone is very pet-friendly and they have a special Monte’s Pet Package which includes a gift bag for your dog including two monogrammed bowls, a mat, a chew toy, gourmet treats, waste bags, and a brochure for pet-friendly attractions in the city. Guests are free to take all these gifts home with them.

Kuma received most of the items mentioned above except for an extra bowl, a mat, and gourmet treats. I’m not sure if they ran out of supplies, but I never asked because I didn’t really need those extra items anyway. I was happy with the high-quality dog toy and waste bags.

They also offer a pet menu which includes food items for both dogs and cats. Sadly, at the time of my visit, this menu was not offered.

Of course, all this special treatment comes at a price. There’s a $100 non-refundable fee and $25 per night charge. I stayed here for two nights, so the total pet fee was $150. Definitely pricey, but I like to splurge on hotels every once in awhile. Plus, I paid for this hotel stay with my points, so it was essentially free. I just had to pay the extra fees for my pet and parking.

All pets are booked on the same floor, on the third floor, so you don’t have many options when it comes to choosing a room.

One problem I found here was that there was no pet relief area nearby. The closest place that was recommended by the hotel staff was 5 blocks away at Woldenberg Park. That was too far for Kuma, so instead, I found a tiny spot of grass and mulch a couple of blocks away in front of the Louisiana Supreme Court Clerk building.

LOCATION

The location is fantastic as you are right in the heart of the French Quarter and near the famous Bourbon Street. I specifically chose this pet-friendly hotel so that I could be within walking distance to many of the pet-friendly locations I was planning to visit with Kuma including Cafe Amelie, Voodoo Authentica, Southern Paws, Cafe Du Monde, and more. Everything was within a mile or less.

There are numerous restaurants and cafes nearby as well. I tried Irene’s for dinner, which was just around the corner and the food was to die for. I ordered the Chicken Rosemarino and the flavorful chicken was just divine. I usually don’t order bone-in chicken entrees, but the chicken just fell off the bone, so it was very easy to consume.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, I enjoyed my stay here with Kuma. I was most impressed with the bellhop remembering Kuma’s name. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that. Most of the hotel staff are very friendly and professional. They will make sure to always greet you or open the door for you. I even had one of the staff members get the elevator for me. That is exceptional service you don’t get a lot these days.

On the other hand, there were some concerns with the loud music, small bathroom, limited pet-friendly rooms, and no pet relief area nearby, but everything worked out fine.

PROS:

• Pet-friendly hotel with special pet package and gift bag

• Exceptional service

• Superb location

• Home to the iconic Carousel Bar

• Beautiful roof top pool and fitness center with panoramic views of the city

• Secure parking in garage

• Super comfy beds

• Complimentary bottled water

CONS:

• Expensive pet fee

• Valet parking only

• Small rooms

• Can only stay on the third floor if you have a pet

• Street noise is ridiculous during the day

• Pet relief area is 4-5 blocks away

• Carousel Bar is always crowded and hard to get a seat

HOTEL MONTELEONE
ADDRESS: 214 Royal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130-2201
PHONE: (504) 523-3341

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