I first came to New Orleans as a West Point cadet, to help after Hurricane Katrina. Through my years in the Army I spent most of my holiday leave here, and once my wife and I left the service we made it home. So when someone asks me about Christmas in New Orleans, I’m a little biased.
For me, Christmas here starts with carols in Jackson Square. After that, the first place I think of is the lobby of The Roosevelt. It’s where we stay every Christmas, for the lights and the trees.
We live just a few miles down the road, and we still love waking up on Christmas morning with all the lights. We head down to the lobby in our PJs for Christmas brunch. Sometimes it’s just easier to let the team at The Roosevelt handle Christmas breakfast and the lights.
The Roosevelt New Orleans
The Roosevelt is a Waldorf Astoria hotel in the Central Business District, just outside the French Quarter. It opened in 1893 and reopened in 2009, after a restoration that followed Katrina.
In December the lobby becomes a tunnel of lights, with a life-size gingerbread house that draws people from all over the city. Expect a crowd. Kids pose with Santa, families take their holiday photo, and if you sit long enough you may see an engagement or two. The noise stays in the lobby, though. Once you step into the elevator it’s gone.
One December morning I took a group of friends on a running tour of the city, with brunch at the end. One of our stops was The Roosevelt, to see the lights. That’s us at the top of this post, under the arches.
In 2025 the hotel also ran a Teddy Bear Tea with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a holiday pop-up bar in the Blue Room and a Réveillon dinner through December, and the Sazerac Bar poured holiday cocktails. The dates change every year, so check the hotel’s holiday page before you plan a day around one.
A King room is about 300 square feet, with a marble and granite bathroom. The Roosevelt is in Hilton for Luxury and Virtuoso, so booked through me the stay comes with daily breakfast for two and a $100 credit to spend at the hotel, plus an upgrade and early check-in or late check-out when one is available.
Hotel Monteleone
The Monteleone’s lobby, decorated for the holidays. Photo: Jeremy Thompson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped.
If you’d rather wake up in the French Quarter, the Monteleone has welcomed guests since 1886 and decorates elaborately for the holidays. Between the decorations and the Carousel Bar, which has been turning since 1949, it feels festive and very New Orleans.
A Traditional King has Italian linens and a marble and granite bathroom. The Monteleone is a Preferred Platinum hotel, which means daily breakfast for two, a $100 hotel credit, and a welcome amenity with a note from the general manager, plus an upgrade and priority check-in or check-out when one is available.
Which one?
Both do Christmas well, in different ways. The Roosevelt is the one for the lights, and the one I’d choose if celebrating the season is the point of the trip. The Monteleone puts you in the heart of the French Quarter, with the Carousel Bar downstairs.
Three more lobbies worth a walk
A lot of hotels here decorate for the holidays. Three lobbies are worth a visit even if you’re staying somewhere else: the Windsor Court, The Ritz-Carlton and the Royal Sonesta. Of those, the Windsor Court and The Ritz-Carlton are the ones I’d stay at for a luxury trip with holiday decor to match.
Both come with perks when you book through me. At The Ritz-Carlton, Marriott STARS adds daily breakfast for two, a $100 credit and a welcome amenity, plus an upgrade and early check-in or late check-out when one is available. At the Windsor Court, Virtuoso and Preferred Platinum each include daily breakfast for two and a $100 credit. Still, it’s hard to compete with The Roosevelt at Christmas.
One thing to know for Christmas week: some hotels set a minimum stay over the holidays, and a holiday package rate doesn’t always carry the partner perks. I check both with the hotel before I book.
For travelers who like to self-book, or need a quick booking, I’ve set up my own booking portal, Book a hotel online. It gives you my partner rates, and at partner hotels like The Roosevelt and the Monteleone a partner rate comes with the perks above. It’s still a direct booking with the hotel. Book the same room on the hotel’s own website and those perks aren’t included. Booking through the portal doesn’t take me out of the picture, either. You still have my support: if you’re not sure a rate carries the perks, ask me before you book, and if anything comes up later, reach out.
The portal books the hotel. It doesn’t plan the rest of Christmas. If you’re planning a full Christmas in New Orleans, want help choosing, or want a smaller, quieter boutique hotel to compare against these two, book a travel consult.
