IH

Christian and I spent Friday night at the International House hotel and I find myself still daydreaming about it five days later. I don't know if it was the fact that I didn't have to spend forty-five minutes cleaning up the place or the fact that I wasn't 'half' sleeping, ready to hear crying, but I have only great thoughts about the time we spent there.

The hotel was built at some point within the last ten years. The decor is impressive. It is a smaller hotel, 'boutique' hotel and the vibe of the place is warm even though the look is contemporary. The rooms are a perfect blend of modern style with classic touches. There are plenty of muted greys and crisp, clean white shades juxtaposed with overstuffed velvet chairs and headboards and over-the-top chandeliers. I have never been a huge fan of chandeliers, preferring something more simple, but I am sold. The lighting was beautiful and the effect was lovely.


The other nice touch was the over-sized mirror. I think it made a somewhat small room (think more European, less American in dimension) seem enormous. I am now on the hunt for something similar for our bedroom. We have tons of wasted wall space so I think this would be the perfect use.

The bedroom we stayed in was a king deluxe. We were upgraded but, frankly, it was unnecessary. My only request was a quiet room so that I could sleep, instead i got a bigger room with a great view (overlooking Camp Street) but in return I woke up once or twice because of street noise. I would have traded for a smaller room overlooking the hvac system if it was totally quiet. Here is a picture of our room:


I recommend the hotel for a lovely and cheap staycation option for anyone looking for something a little different from the traditional, stuffy NOLA hotel styles that abound and for those who do not want to be stuck in the French Quarter. I don't think it is the best option for people traveling with children because it is small and not necessarily well-suited for kids. If, like me, you are interested in late-night tapas, you can enjoy the delicious fare at Rambla, a Spanish restaurant attached to the hotel.
Or maybe you want to enjoy the candlelight and overstuffed chairs while you sip a glass of your favorite wine from the impressive selection at Loa, the hotel bar:


I was just looking for a little peace and quiet when I made the reservation and ended up discovering a little gem in the heart of NOLA's cbd.