Pros

  • Within walking distance of French Quarter attractions
  • Big rooms with English manor charm and high-end amenities
  • Relaxing rooftop pool with food and beverage service
  • Beautiful spa with great treatments and services
  • Popular Southern restaurant, and upscale afternoon tea service
  • Museum-quality art collection
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
See More Pros

Cons

  • Fee for parking
See More Cons

Bottom Line

Celebrities, royals, and discerning travelers choose the Windsor Court for its classic style, attentive staff, and big rooms. While there’s plenty to do on the property -- including afternoon tea, a tour of the hotel’s impressive art collection, or a treatment at the lovely spa -- the Windsor Court is quietly located near all the French Quarter action. The rooms are sweet and cheerful, with classic English-style decor and upscale amenities that include free Wi-Fi, iPod docks, Molton Brown toiletries, and Keurig coffeemakers.

See More Bottom Line

Oyster Hotel Review

Windsor Court Hotel

Scene

This luxury riverfront property is a celebrity favorite.

This world-class property has the feel of an English country estate, starting with the statue of St. George on the ivy-walled, bricked front drive. The John Mills sculpture is a precursor to the other precious European art inside -- a collection so extensive that the hotel offers a tour of its original engravings and oils (be sure to find the model of Windsor Castle).

The lobby is perfumed with gardenia and honeysuckle and roses, courtesy of the fresh blooms gathered in all corners. You’ll want to return to the plush salon later, when the hotel serves a three-course afternoon tea, one of many refinements.

American presidents, celebrities and royals have stayed here, including Bill Clinton, Prince Charles, Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage. Proving that New Orleans elegance is always relaxed, Sir Paul McCartney even took to the hotel piano one night for an impromptu concert. No surprise then that the staff, used to dealing with star power, is friendly, attentive, and discreet.

While the art-gallery-like hallways are hushed, the rooftop pool has a resort feel, with thick towels and staff at the ready. The occasional ship's horn will remind you that you are at the foot of the Mississippi River, within easy walking distance of upscale shops and French Quarter restaurants, but quietly removed from its crazy hustle.

Starting at 400 square feet, rooms at the Windsor Court are considerably larger than those of other luxury hotels in the city, and competitively priced.

See More Scene

Location

Located in the Central Business District, at the foot of the Mississippi River and within walking distance of the French Quarter

The Windsor Court hotel, located in the Central Business District, is a block from the Mississippi River and adjacent to Harrah’s Casino, and within easy walking distance of streetcars, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium, Jackson Square, Preservation Hall, and dozens of exceptional restaurants.

Across the street from the freewheeling French Quarter, the Central Business District (CBD) adds towering office buildings to the New Orleans skyline. Corporations, foreign consulates and the city’s convention center are located here, as is the Superdome.

The CBD began its development in the early 1800s, when the Louisiana Purchase attracted newly minted Americans to a city once dominated by the Spanish and French. As port traffic increased along the Mississippi River, warehouses and manufacturing plants were built on the CBD shore. When cargo ships became containerized, these buildings were abandoned.

The World’s Fair in 1984 sparked new interest in the CBD, and developers restored the 19th century warehouses and plants into trendy condos, hotels and restaurants. The building boom has also included art galleries, the National World War II Museum, and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Today, the CBD is a mellower counterpart to the French Quarter, and just as alluring. There’s plenty of foot traffic, especially closer to the river and around the St. Charles streetcar line. At night, visitors should be safe on main thoroughfares like Poydras Street, and anywhere there’s a major restaurant or hotel. A wealth of parking garages makes the CBD fairly easy to drive into, except during the week of Mardi Gras.

Canal Street is a retail center and the downriver boundary of the CBD. Canal is one of the widest streets in the country and a major thoroughfare in the New Orleans, though it’s packed with national retail and souvenir shops that aren’t worth exploring for a visitor with limited time.

  • 25-minute taxi or shuttle ride from Louis Armstrong International Airport
  • 3-minute walk to Canal Street, where you can pick up streetcars to St. Charles Avenue or the New Orleans Museum of Art
  • 5-minute walk to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum
  • 10-minute walk to Lafayette Square
  • 15-minute walk to the National World War II Museum
  • 15-minute walk to Jackson Square and Café du Monde
  • 5-minute drive to the Superdome
  • 15-minute drive to Mardi Gras World
See More Location

Rooms

Big, feminine rooms with luxe touches

Floral fabrics, cozy sitting areas (and in some rooms, potted plants) make the Windsor Court’s guest rooms feel like they could belong in an English manor. The soft blue and brown palette, as well as the high-end amenities, add to the general charm and upscale feel.

Nearly all the property’s rooms are suites, and many have private balconies with sweeping city or river views. Italian marble and Molton Brown toiletries are standard in all guest baths, which are also spacious.

At 400 square feet, even the entry-level rooms are among the largest in the city, and competitively priced. Junior Suites and Full Suites are even bigger, at 600 and 800 square feet, respectively. On the top floors of the hotel, Club Level rooms share the same layouts as Standard Rooms, Junior Suites and Full Suites, but offer access to the hotel’s Club Lounge, with free continental breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, a concierge, and a terrace with expansive river and city views.

  • Large flat-screen TVs
  • iPod docks
  • Molton Brown toiletries
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Turndown service
  • Keurig coffeemakers and free coffee
  • Stocked minibars
  • Suites have dressing rooms, sitting areas and wet bars.
See More Rooms

All-Inclusive / Food

A popular Southern grill, wonderful afternoon tea service, and several bars

  • The Grill Room offers a contemporary Southern menu in an elegant space with large windows. It is open for all three meals, and features live jazz daily during the dinner service.
  • The Cocktail Bar and the Polo Lounge offer plush club chairs, pricey drinks, and specialty cocktails. The Polo Lounge also offers bar food.
  • Le Salon is known for its upscale afternoon tea service.
See More All-Inclusive / Food

Pool

A tranquil saltwater rooftop pool with expansive views and drink service

The hotel’s saltwater pool is a quiet oasis high above the city’s busy streets. It offers expansive skyline views, and is open year-round from early in the morning until well after dinner.

  • Heated in the winter months
  • Large pool deck with plenty of loungers and umbrellas
  • Poolside drink and food menu
See More Pool

Fitness Center

Large fitness center with tons of machines and fresh fruit

  • Wide array of cardio and strength-training equipment
  • Pilates balls and yoga mats available
  • Free bottled water
  • Fresh fruit
  • Free use of towels
See More Fitness Center

Spa

Relaxing spa with treatments for two and salon services

  • Several treatment cabins, including one for couples
  • Locker room with sauna
  • Salon services available
  • Couples treatments in a private room
  • Several relaxation rooms
See More Spa

Services

A museum-quality art collection, free Wi-Fi, and limo service to the airport

  • Museum-quality art collection, with tours available
  • Limo service to and from the airport (for a fee)
  • Gift shop open daily, offering cloisonné fish, feathered headbands, china, and customized gift baskets.
  • Free use of a small business center
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Bellhops on duty around the clock
  • 24-hour room service
  • Nightly turndown service
  • Concierge
  • Events space for up to 500 guests
  • Valet parking (for a fee)
  • Club Level Lounge offers continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres
See More Services

Oyster Hotel Review

Windsor Court Hotel

Scene

This luxury riverfront property is a celebrity favorite.

This world-class property has the feel of an English country estate, starting with the statue of St. George on the ivy-walled, bricked front drive. The John Mills sculpture is a precursor to the other precious European art inside -- a collection so extensive that the hotel offers a tour of its original engravings and oils (be sure to find the model of Windsor Castle).

The lobby is perfumed with gardenia and honeysuckle and roses, courtesy of the fresh blooms gathered in all corners. You’ll want to return to the plush salon later, when the hotel serves a three-course afternoon tea, one of many refinements.

American presidents, celebrities and royals have stayed here, including Bill Clinton, Prince Charles, Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage. Proving that New Orleans elegance is always relaxed, Sir Paul McCartney even took to the hotel piano one night for an impromptu concert. No surprise then that the staff, used to dealing with star power, is friendly, attentive, and discreet.

While the art-gallery-like hallways are hushed, the rooftop pool has a resort feel, with thick towels and staff at the ready. The occasional ship's horn will remind you that you are at the foot of the Mississippi River, within easy walking distance of upscale shops and French Quarter restaurants, but quietly removed from its crazy hustle.

Starting at 400 square feet, rooms at the Windsor Court are considerably larger than those of other luxury hotels in the city, and competitively priced.

See More Scene

Location

Located in the Central Business District, at the foot of the Mississippi River and within walking distance of the French Quarter

The Windsor Court hotel, located in the Central Business District, is a block from the Mississippi River and adjacent to Harrah’s Casino, and within easy walking distance of streetcars, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium, Jackson Square, Preservation Hall, and dozens of exceptional restaurants.

Across the street from the freewheeling French Quarter, the Central Business District (CBD) adds towering office buildings to the New Orleans skyline. Corporations, foreign consulates and the city’s convention center are located here, as is the Superdome.

The CBD began its development in the early 1800s, when the Louisiana Purchase attracted newly minted Americans to a city once dominated by the Spanish and French. As port traffic increased along the Mississippi River, warehouses and manufacturing plants were built on the CBD shore. When cargo ships became containerized, these buildings were abandoned.

The World’s Fair in 1984 sparked new interest in the CBD, and developers restored the 19th century warehouses and plants into trendy condos, hotels and restaurants. The building boom has also included art galleries, the National World War II Museum, and the Southern Food and Beverage Museum.

Today, the CBD is a mellower counterpart to the French Quarter, and just as alluring. There’s plenty of foot traffic, especially closer to the river and around the St. Charles streetcar line. At night, visitors should be safe on main thoroughfares like Poydras Street, and anywhere there’s a major restaurant or hotel. A wealth of parking garages makes the CBD fairly easy to drive into, except during the week of Mardi Gras.

Canal Street is a retail center and the downriver boundary of the CBD. Canal is one of the widest streets in the country and a major thoroughfare in the New Orleans, though it’s packed with national retail and souvenir shops that aren’t worth exploring for a visitor with limited time.

  • 25-minute taxi or shuttle ride from Louis Armstrong International Airport
  • 3-minute walk to Canal Street, where you can pick up streetcars to St. Charles Avenue or the New Orleans Museum of Art
  • 5-minute walk to the Southern Food and Beverage Museum
  • 10-minute walk to Lafayette Square
  • 15-minute walk to the National World War II Museum
  • 15-minute walk to Jackson Square and Café du Monde
  • 5-minute drive to the Superdome
  • 15-minute drive to Mardi Gras World
See More Location

Rooms

Big, feminine rooms with luxe touches

Floral fabrics, cozy sitting areas (and in some rooms, potted plants) make the Windsor Court’s guest rooms feel like they could belong in an English manor. The soft blue and brown palette, as well as the high-end amenities, add to the general charm and upscale feel.

Nearly all the property’s rooms are suites, and many have private balconies with sweeping city or river views. Italian marble and Molton Brown toiletries are standard in all guest baths, which are also spacious.

At 400 square feet, even the entry-level rooms are among the largest in the city, and competitively priced. Junior Suites and Full Suites are even bigger, at 600 and 800 square feet, respectively. On the top floors of the hotel, Club Level rooms share the same layouts as Standard Rooms, Junior Suites and Full Suites, but offer access to the hotel’s Club Lounge, with free continental breakfast, evening hors d’oeuvres, a concierge, and a terrace with expansive river and city views.

  • Large flat-screen TVs
  • iPod docks
  • Molton Brown toiletries
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Turndown service
  • Keurig coffeemakers and free coffee
  • Stocked minibars
  • Suites have dressing rooms, sitting areas and wet bars.
See More Rooms

All-Inclusive / Food

A popular Southern grill, wonderful afternoon tea service, and several bars

  • The Grill Room offers a contemporary Southern menu in an elegant space with large windows. It is open for all three meals, and features live jazz daily during the dinner service.
  • The Cocktail Bar and the Polo Lounge offer plush club chairs, pricey drinks, and specialty cocktails. The Polo Lounge also offers bar food.
  • Le Salon is known for its upscale afternoon tea service.
See More All-Inclusive / Food

Pool

A tranquil saltwater rooftop pool with expansive views and drink service

The hotel’s saltwater pool is a quiet oasis high above the city’s busy streets. It offers expansive skyline views, and is open year-round from early in the morning until well after dinner.

  • Heated in the winter months
  • Large pool deck with plenty of loungers and umbrellas
  • Poolside drink and food menu
See More Pool

Fitness Center

Large fitness center with tons of machines and fresh fruit

  • Wide array of cardio and strength-training equipment
  • Pilates balls and yoga mats available
  • Free bottled water
  • Fresh fruit
  • Free use of towels
See More Fitness Center

Spa

Relaxing spa with treatments for two and salon services

  • Several treatment cabins, including one for couples
  • Locker room with sauna
  • Salon services available
  • Couples treatments in a private room
  • Several relaxation rooms
See More Spa

Services

A museum-quality art collection, free Wi-Fi, and limo service to the airport

  • Museum-quality art collection, with tours available
  • Limo service to and from the airport (for a fee)
  • Gift shop open daily, offering cloisonné fish, feathered headbands, china, and customized gift baskets.
  • Free use of a small business center
  • Free Wi-Fi throughout
  • Bellhops on duty around the clock
  • 24-hour room service
  • Nightly turndown service
  • Concierge
  • Events space for up to 500 guests
  • Valet parking (for a fee)
  • Club Level Lounge offers continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres
See More Services

Best Rates

Amenities

  • Air Conditioner

  • Airport Transportation

  • Babysitting Services

  • Balcony / Terrace / Patio

  • Beauty / Hair Salon

  • Business Center

  • Cable

  • Concierge

  • Cribs

  • Dry Cleaning

  • Fitness Center

  • Full Kitchen

  • Internet

  • Kids Allowed

  • Laundry

  • Meeting / Conference Rooms

  • Mini Bar (with liquor)

  • Pets Allowed

  • Pool

  • Poolside Drink Service

  • Room Service

  • Separate Bedroom / Living Room Space

  • Spa

  • Swim-Up Bar

Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.