Dr. Dansereau climbed to the belvedere at the top of his house each evening and looked out over Thibodaux for lights in the windows, which told him somebody needed a doctor.
Then he lit his own lantern so the town would know he was available. That signal ran from a house built in 1847 at 506 St. Philip Street, three stories of it, and the building still stands in the middle of the historic district. Bed and breakfast operations began in 2010 with six suites.
Restoration kept the bones. Parquet floors run through the house. Antique furnishings from the period fill the rooms, and some suites carry working fireplaces or open onto balconies. The Rose Room and the Governor’s Family Suite get named most often by guests. Rooms include private bathrooms, air conditioning, televisions, refrigerators, work desks, and seating areas, with spa baths in some. Rates run roughly $150 to $400 depending on the room and the season.
The Drinkery operates in the back of the house, a small bar serving craft beer, wine, cocktails, and a light food menu. Reviewers describe it as intimate, and at least one report has it open only Wednesdays and Thursdays, so hours are worth confirming. The house also runs occasional wine dinners with music on the porch beforehand, and those sell out.
Weddings and receptions fill much of the calendar. The house handles parties and meetings as well, which means availability can shift around booked events.
Breakfast is a traditional American breakfast with warm dishes, pastries, fruit, and juice, served in the dining room or on the terrace. Call and ask directly, though, since there have been recent interruptions in breakfast service. After all, breakfast is half of what a bed and breakfast promises, and the last thing you want to do is show up to one and only get half the package.
Location does the rest of the work. Spahr’s sits across the street and serves shrimp and grits. Fremin’s and Cinclare are both walking distance. St. Joseph Co-Cathedral is nearby and worth stepping into. The Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center is five minutes by car, Nicholls State University and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute are both under two miles, and Houma is about seventeen miles south.
Parking is free and private on site. Check-in starts at 3 p.m. and checkout at 11 a.m. Reservations require a credit card, and guests need photo identification at arrival.
Thibodaux sits about an hour southwest of New Orleans and roughly 46 miles from Louis Armstrong International. Call (985) 227-9937 to book, and ask for a room with a balcony.
