The Olivier House Hotel

Eight interconnected Creole townhouses dating to the 1800s form The Olivier House Hotel on Toulouse Street, half a block from the French Quarter's main artery on Bourbon. The property's courtyards and iron-lace galleries have remained largely intact, giving the 42-room compound an atmosphere closer to a private residence than a hotel.

An outdoor pool sits in the rear garden, shaded by subtropical plantings — uncommon for a property this deep inside the Quarter. Rooms vary considerably in layout; some include sitting areas and microwaves, others open directly onto the courtyard galleries.

The 24-hour front desk and baggage storage ease late arrivals after long nights on nearby Frenchmen Street, the live-music corridor seven blocks away. Parking is available on site, a practical advantage given the Quarter's metered-street scarcity.