St Charles Coach House, an Ascend Collection Hotel

Stretched along St. Charles Avenue in the Lower Garden District, this three-star property occupies a row of restored 19th-century townhouses facing the streetcar line, a ten-minute ride from the French Quarter and a few blocks from Coliseum Square — a practical, quieter base for travelers wanting easy access to downtown without the Bourbon Street noise.

Rooms sit behind original wrought-iron balconies, several opening directly onto the avenue where the historic streetcar still runs. A courtyard breakfast area occupies the space between two of the joined buildings, and staff can flag the streetcar stop out front for guests heading to the Quarter or Uptown.