Henry Howard designed some of New Orleans’ most recognizable mansions before the Civil War. His own 1867 townhouse at 2041 Prytania Street now operates as an 18-room boutique hotel bearing his name. The Greek Revival and Italianate architecture that made Howard famous is on full display here, making it the Garden District’s most photographed small hotel.
Howard built the house as his personal residence after returning from Confederate Army service. He lived here while designing mansions for wealthy clients throughout the Garden District. The building remained a private home until 2016 when developers converted it into a hotel. The renovation preserved original details: 14-foot ceilings, heart pine floors, plaster crown molding, pocket doors, marble mantels.
The 18 rooms spread across the main house and a newer building behind it. Rooms in the original house have more architectural character with exposed brick, tall windows, and period details. Newer building rooms are larger with modern amenities. All rooms have custom furniture, Italian linens, rainfall showers, and Bluetooth speakers. Rates run $200-$400 depending on room category and season.
The parlor bar operates in the original house’s front rooms. The bar serves classic New Orleans cocktails: Sazerac, Vieux Carré, Ramos Gin Fizz, French 75. Bartenders make everything properly with no shortcuts. The bar is open to hotel guests and neighborhood residents. Hours are 4pm-midnight daily. The space has velvet furniture, brass fixtures, and the feel of drinking in someone’s mansion.
Breakfast is included with room rates, served 7am-10am in the courtyard or dining room. The meal includes French press coffee, fresh juice, pastries, fruit, and a rotating hot entrée. Not buffet style, everything is plated and served.
The hotel sits on Prytania Street between Second and Third streets in the Lower Garden District. The St. Charles streetcar line runs one block away on St. Charles Avenue. Commander’s Palace is a 5-minute walk. Magazine Street shopping and restaurants are 2 blocks. The French Quarter is 15 minutes by streetcar or 10 minutes by car.
The Garden District surrounding the hotel has the city’s best-preserved 19th-century mansions. Walking tours pass the hotel constantly. The neighborhood is quiet, residential, shaded by live oak trees. Locals walk dogs and push strollers on Prytania Street. This is where old-money New Orleans families still live.
The hotel attracts architecture enthusiasts, couples celebrating occasions, and travelers who want boutique lodging in a historic building. The small size means limited amenities. No gym, no pool, no room service. You get beautiful rooms, strong cocktails, good breakfast, and Garden District location.
The front porch has rocking chairs facing Prytania Street. Guests sit here drinking coffee in the morning or cocktails in the evening watching the neighborhood. The porch connects you to Garden District life in ways that high-rise hotels can’t.
Book directly through the website for best rates. Phone: (504) 313-1577. The hotel offers packages with breakfast and cocktail vouchers. Parking is valet only at $30 per day. Street parking in the Garden District is challenging.
The Henry Howard works if you value architectural history and small-scale hospitality. It doesn’t work if you need hotel conveniences like 24-hour front desk, business center, or fitness room. The staff is small. Service is personal but limited.
The hotel’s Instagram presence is strong because the building photographs beautifully. The parlor bar’s brass and velvet, the courtyard’s brick and greenery, the rooms’ period details all look excellent in photos. That’s not accidental. The renovation was designed to honor Henry Howard’s aesthetic while functioning as a contemporary hotel.
Henry Howard died in 1884. His architectural legacy includes dozens of Garden District mansions still standing. Staying in his personal residence connects you to that history more directly than touring houses from the sidewalk.
