The streetcar changes the math on where to stay in New Orleans. Three historic bed and breakfasts sit close enough to the tracks that guests can skip the parking problem entirely.
1. 1896 O’Malley House, Mid-City
A Colonial Revival residence on South Pierce Street holds eight suites, each with a private bath and most with jacuzzi tubs and granite counters. The house kept its original architectural features through restoration, and Frommers describes it as antiqued without being frilly, with fine art, stunning woodwork, and a serious fireplace.
Room character varies by floor. The largest sit on the second, while the third-floor rooms run smaller and garret-shaped, working around odd angles with bleached wood. One room is reputed to be haunted, and guests who want it should ask.
Breakfast comes hot and homemade, served in the formal dining room, with locally roasted Community Coffee included. The inn holds a AAA three-diamond rating and runs a revolving display of local artwork with monthly gallery openings where guests and neighbors meet the artist. The Canal streetcar sits a few minutes’ walk away, putting the French Quarter 10 to 15 minutes down the line. Angelo Brocato is a five-minute walk for gelato. Call (504) 488-5896.
2. Canal Street Inn, Mid-City
The Canal streetcar stops directly in front of this 1912 house at 3620 Canal Street, which is the strongest transit position of the three. The line runs downtown one direction and toward City Park the other, and free parking sits on site for anyone who brings a car anyway.
Craftsman woodwork runs through the building. The Prytania room carries 14-foot ceilings, a mahogany fireplace, and a separate sitting room, and the Jasmine takes its name from the vines on the side of the house. Ten guest rooms fill the inn, each decorated differently, pairing original architecture with contemporary furnishings.
Breakfast is the thing guests single out, three courses prepared in house. The inn holds Select Registry certification, and amenities run long for its size, including a terrace, garden, gym, rental bikes, spa services by appointment, and a daily-restocked minibar. Mandina’s sits steps away. Ten rooms fill fast during festival season, so book early and aim for midweek.
3. Grand Victorian, Garden District
Architect Thomas Sully built this Queen Anne house in 1893 for Frances Johnson, who owned a local mortuary. Sully designed about thirty-five houses along St. Charles plus the Hennen Building, the city’s first skyscraper, and the Grand Victorian’s original drawings and millwork are archived at Tulane. The Rabe family has run it as a bed and breakfast since 1997.
The St. Charles streetcar line runs ten feet from the front gate at the Washington stop, which is closer than either Mid-City property gets. That line reaches Uptown, the Central Business District, and both Tulane and Loyola without a car.
The second-floor wrought iron balcony overlooking St. Charles is the reason to book here. Every room has access to it, and during Carnival the parades roll directly underneath. Inside, a crystal chandelier original to the house hangs in the parlor among tall windows and rich woodwork, and there is a library and dining room open to guests through the day. Rooms have private en suite baths. Commander’s Palace and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 are both a short walk, and Magazine Street shopping is walkable.
One note that applies to all three. Streetcars run on their own schedule and stop earlier than the bars do, so anyone planning a late night should check the last car or budget for a ride home.
