Windsor Court Hotel

We had a fantastic holiday staycation at Windsor Court. This is my first experience with Club Level access, and I am still on Cloud 9. The entire hotel is quintessential luxury with contemporary comforts. The level is reserved for great views and exclusive privileges with stunning skyline views and exclusive access to the Club Level Lounge. We had a club-level suite, so we pretty much had the entire wing to ourselves. The floor has a dedicated concierge, exclusive lounge, European-style breakfast, afternoon snacks, evening happy hour with hors d'oeuvres, signature cocktail presentations, and nightly desserts and cordials.
The hotel has an on-the-go eatery, fine dining fare - from afternoon tea to weekend brunch, a classic cocktail lounge featuring live jazz, a rooftop pool with a cabana-style bar, and a full-service, luxury spa & wellness experience.
The girls enjoyed their first Robin Barnes performance, and they loved it. The Grill Room has just launched an exciting new menu. We had the most outstanding service from all of the staff.
The menu is modern, American cuisine featuring incomparable ingredients and elevated glass and stemware. The hotel has the most extensive wine collection in the city,
In a world of instagrammable culinary experiences, the team at the Grill Room nailed it.
Chef Igor, Culinary Director visited us to show us the Porterhouse before it was cooked. It was one of the best steaks I have ever tasted. We enjoyed ala carte for a starter and entrée as well as a glass of wine/cocktail. Culinary Director Igor presented a sampling of the wagyu beef and caviar as well as desserts so that these fine aspects will be a part of the experience and not offered as an appetizer or entrée.:
-Beet Salad
-Caviar and Mashed Potatoes
-Fish
-French 75
-Chocolate Cake
We also enjoyed Holiday Tea on Sunday in the Club. It was wonderful.

 Hilton Riverside Suite Life

We had a great family staycation at Hilton New Orleans Riverside. The hotel has so much to do from food, nearby shopping, conference rooms, and great customer service.  We had a suite on the 29th floor. The room was AMAZING. This luxury hotel view was overlooking the city.

It's all about location in New Orleans and the Hilton New Orleans Riverside places you at the center of it all. Nestled against the banks of the Mississippi, guests can watch the ships come sailing in or dive into the city life just steps away. Grab a beignet, listen to live jazz, ride a streetcar, or hop into a parade, you never know what you’ll experience in the vibrant culture and excitement of New Orleans just outside our front door. Make it a trip to remember with Hilton.

The weekend itinerary was packed with fun events.

• Dragos Restaurant - We ate dinner at Dragos. Check out my Eat and Drink Guide for more on this iconic restaurant.
  Tujagues Restaurant - Had the best time drinking the signature cocktails and trying their charbroiled oysters for the first time.

• Riverwalk Shopping - The outlet has lots of cool stores to visit and shop.

• Creole Queen - We overlooked the beautiful Mississippi River. The boat has an amazing tour of the river, including food. The menu is AMAZING.

• Audubon Aquarium - This is on our Top #10 list of things to do with kids. The aquarium is beautiful.

Photos by: Kat Kimball

 Higgins Hotel

Last staycation of the year @higginshotel we had a wonderful stay. The rooms are clean and huge and the bedding feels so good.
New Orleans is the perfect place for a staycation. You get the chance to admire the gems of the city. I found out about @rosiesontheroof from a @yelpnola event❤️ the rooftop is all that.

Here are a few staycation tips:
🌟Pack the items that make you feel most at home. This makes sense, it’s a staycation, but you may feel a little home sick. I travel with my phone and watch docking station. The girls brought their baby dolls.
🌟Treat yourself to an upgrade to gain the most from the experience. Wait to ask when you check in. You might get a better rate.
🌟Try the restaurant at the hotel before you venture out. I suggest eating one meal at the hotel to get the most out of the experience.
🌟Review the amenities before you book. If you are staycationing with kids, they might want to swim. My husband loves a gym.
🌟Check to see what hot spots are in walking distance and build your daily itinerary accordingly.

#Eat #Sleep #Move #Repeat
Well, I hope this helps you plan for your next staycation. Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler🍾🍾Let the good times roll. Thanks @katkimballphoto for these awesome memories📸

La Galerie Holiday Staycation

Hotel La Galerie

We recently stayed at La Galerie hotel for two nights. It is a boutique hotel in the French Quarter area. The hotel is centrally located near all of the destinations in New Orleans. During our stay, we ate at some of the best restaurants, went shopping, took family photos and toured the quarters.

Here’s my suggested itinerary for a weekend staycation in New Orleans.

Day #1

• Brunch at Coterie - Coterie has an amazing breakfast menu with crawfish, shrimp, boudin and more. They are also known for their oysters.

• Coffee run at PJs or Starbucks near Canal Place

• Shop on Decatur Street - We shopped the tourists stores and also the big stores like Sephora, H&M and Urban Outfitters.

• Lunch at Royal House - Everything was so good. Five stars for Royal House. The kids enjoyed items on the kids menu and we ate the Taste of New Orleans and Crawfish & Crabmeat ravioli.

• Tour the quarters - What more can I say. This deserves a round of applause. Eat, shop and walk the neighborhoods. I piggied my way down in the quarters tracking my points to burn the calories from eating so much good food.

• Dinner at Tommy’s Cusine - Amazing and fabulous cuisine at Tommy’s. Turtle Soup, Corn & Crab bisque, pizza for the kids and Pasta Fra Diavlo for me. My husband enjoyed the fish of the day. It really was delicious. For dessert, we feasted on Crème Brûlée and Bananas Foster. Talk about delicious!

Day #2

• Brunch at Ruby Slipper

• Tour or take family photos in the hotel

• Sunday sports for us it’s the Saints game at Batture Bistro Restaurant

• Lunch at Broussard’s and checkout