Review: The Saint Hotel New Orleans French Quarter, Autograph Collection 

After staying at the JW Marriott New Orleans for the first half of my attendance at the American Medical Informatics Conference, I swapped hotels to stay at the Saint Hotel New Orleans French Quarter, Autograph Collection. 

I have yet to be disappointed with my experiences at the Autograph Collection hotels and enjoy the uniqueness of each one. 

Read on to learn about my experience at the Saint Hotel NOLA. 

Booking & Check-in

I booked the Saint Hotel for 2 nights (Monday – Wednesday) in November 2023, at an industry rate of $130 USD per night. This is fantastic value as the standard rate is typically in excess of $200 USD before taxes and fees.

I inquired about an upgrade via chat a few days before my stay but was informed that the hotel doesn’t do complimentary upgrades, as a policy.

Check-in went smoothly, admittedly I was in a hurry at the time as I was in between sessions at my conference. Fortunately, I was permitted to check in quite early at 1:00 PM which was appreciated. 

The hotel lobby was rather unique with a dark yet vibrant style.  

At the check-in desk, I was given a welcome amenity as a show of appreciation for my status. Admittedly I was a bit underwhelmed to find a water bottle and chips. Perhaps my standards are too high but I always appreciate receiving more sentimental gifts.

Shortly after arriving at my room, I received a courtesy call to confirm everything was okay with the room. This was a nice touch of service.

Location

The Saint Hotel, Autograph Collection, is located in the heart of the historic French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana, and about a 20-minute drive from the New Orleans International Airport (MSY). 

It is a stylish and contemporary boutique hotel near various popular attractions and restaurants, especially Creole and Cajun cuisine. It is a popular choice for travelers looking to experience the lively atmosphere and rich culture of the city.

The Saint is within walking distance of the Mississippi River, where hotel guests can enjoy leisurely walks along the riverfront, take steamboat cruises, or simply relax while enjoying the scenic views of the water and the city skyline.

It is also conveniently located on Canal Street which serves a historic streetcar line, and near Bourbon Street which is the centerpiece of many festivals including Mardi Gras.

Parking

Thankfully, I didn’t need parking for this stay. Valet parking is available for a fee of $47 USD daily. There is no self-parking available at the hotel.

Room – Guest Room, 1 King

My room was a standard-level room located on the 6th floor. The hallways leading to the guest rooms were lit with a deep blue neon color. With a seemingly low occupancy, going up the elevator to my room and walking these hallways without seeing a soul became a bit eery.

Everything brightens right up as you enter the naturally lit room.

The room had a sort of cozy apartment feel and had some unique decor starting with the floating bed frame and mirror wall behind the bed.

The bedside table lamps were old with manual knobs but the alarm clock provided a modern outlet and USB combination.   

Opposite the bed was a bench, a Samsung television on a credenza, and a desk.

On the credenza was a variety of snacks for purchase which was a real waste of precious table space. Likewise in the credenza was a mini fridge filled with beverages for purchase. 

The coffee machine was a Hamilton Beach Keurig machine and the pods were provided by “Community”. The coffee was passable for hotel room coffee.

Across from the bathroom was a typical closet which had a blue curtain, inside was a large safe and ironing board. There was also a laundry bag and I noticed the hotel had a complimentary laundry and dry cleaning service.

The entrance to the bathroom was a black industrial-looking door. The bathroom itself maintained the blue theme with blue lighting under the vanity and chandelier lights.

The bathrooms showed some age, with visible rust on the chandeliers and some of the metal fixings, towel racks, etc. But everything was functional and clean, including the signature Kohler toilet. 

The shampoo, conditioner, and body wash were re-branded by the hotel. I could tell they weren’t anything fancy, but they did the job.  

Overall, the room was basic but well-arranged. The consistent theming throughout was interesting and a nice change from a cookie-cutter Marriott room. On that note, I have to point out the double-sided door hanger.

The Saint may not be a memorable hotel, but it is a hotel I’ll remember.

Restaurants & Bars

Burgundy Bar

The Burgundy Bar is the hotel’s cocktail bar and live music club. It is quaint and dingy inside with limited seating.

Burgundy Bar is open Sunday to Thursday from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM and open until 12:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. However, food service is only available until 9:00 PM including room service.

I stopped by the Burgundy Bar on the first night of my stay for a bite to eat. I enjoyed the Duck Empanadas, Banana Foster Cheesecake, and Skater Aid Pilsner.

The empanadas were a bit small and looked lonely on the plate, but were tasty nonetheless. The cheesecake was very delicious as was the local pilsner. 

Overall the Burgundy Bar fit the hotel’s vibe quite well. I would have been curious to experience the vibe on a weekend night, perhaps with some live music. 

Resurrection – Marriott Bonvoy Elite Complimentary Breakfast

Resurrection, an American-style breakfast restaurant, is located just inside the hotel’s front entrance. It’s open daily from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

The menu is entirely a la carte, with no buffet or separate dry food offerings. 

On my first of two breakfasts here, I had the Belgian waffles and fresh fruit & berries. Both were just okay. Also to my dismay, the coffee on offer was the same as in the hotel room, and even served in a to-go cup. At least they didn’t charge for it…

On the second morning, I had the yogurt parfait and avocado toast. The avocado toast tasted … healthy. The parfait was quite good. 

At check-in I was not provided with any Marriott Bonvoy Elite complimentary breakfast vouchers, so I’d assumed that the restaurant would just do a manual check, the same as other Autograph hotels (eg. Hotel Verte) have done. Instead, it turned out that the desk agent had made a mistake. The server manually applied the comp to my breakfast the first morning and I went back and got my voucher for the second morning at the check-in desk.

Turns out the voucher is restricted to two items per person: yogurt parfait, avocado toast, toasted bagel, fruit cup, oatmeal, and muffin. This is a bit chintzy considering the restaurant isn’t offering a particularly noteworthy or luxury breakfast offering, but the portions were well-sized at least.

Facilities

The hotel had minimal property amenities but did have a fitness center as well as a meeting room. There was no business center but there was a printer and a single computer for use in the lobby.

Fitness Center

The Saint Hotel has a fitness center open 24/7, located on the 3rd floor. It is currently undergoing a ‘refresh’ but is still available during that time.  

The gym was small and dimly lit but had all the essentials including a treadmill, elliptical, bike, bench, fly machine, leg machine, free weights, and exercise balls.

Conclusion

The Saint Hotel Autograph Collection was a step down from my stay at the JW Marriott New Orleans, and also a bit lacking compared to luxury experiences at Autograph Collection hotels like Kananaskis Mountain Lodge, Hotel Verte, or the Dorian.

Nothing was glaringly wrong with the hotel, but even being a boutique hotel it was lacking in several areas. The room was a highlight and had unique decor, but showed signs of age. Staff knowledge was lacking both in general and regarding the Marriott Bonvoy program. For example, even the bartender didn’t know the end time of the food service when I first sat down, at first trying to turn me away at 8:00 PM until I corrected him.

My view of Marriott’s Autograph Collection hasn’t been tainted in any way, but admittedly I would choose to stay at one of the other vast number of Marriott properties for my next visit to New Orleans, whether it be the JW again, Westin, or Le Meridien.