Score: 6 out of 10. The room was adequate if a bit spartan, but I wasn’t there for the decor. First-time visitors to New Orleans might appreciate a more full-service lodging with a concierge. Fortunately, I (mostly) know my way around and was pleased that so much of what I wanted to do was within easy walking or transit distance.
It also was convenient to have a kitchen so I could make toast and tea in the mornings. And the firm mattress ensured a restful sleep.
One incident unsettled me, though. Around 11:30 p.m. the first night of my stay, a fire alarm/evacuation announcement woke me up. I scrambled into my clothes and hurried down 12 flights of stairs, where I saw disheartening suggestions that the office building-turned-lodging wasn’t maintained very well. Mysterious stains on the floors, unfinished repairs and renovations, and a general aura of neglect that reinforced my sense this was more of a cut-rate operation than portrayed in the listing. In the lobby I found out the alarm sounded because of some polishing chemicals a work crew had sprayed on the elevator doors. I returned to my room with a much grimmer regard for the way the place is run. This wasn’t the bargain I’d expected.