New Orleans is a Top Destination for travelers of all ages and backgrounds. Whether you’re a foodie, history buff, or looking to earn your very own Mardi Gras Beads, you’ll find it all in the “Big Easy”. Everyone should get to experience the great vibes found throughout the French Quarter and the basic guide below will help make it happen. Continue reading to learn all of our favorite strategies to Book a Hotel in New Orleans using Points!
Click Here for our Top 16 Things to do in New Orleans
Where to Stay in New Orleans
Location is key when it comes to staying in the Big Easy! In my opinion, the top area to stay in is as close to the French Quarter as possible. The New Orleans French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood that is home to many historic homes and the very popular Bourbon Street. Neighboring areas include the Central Business District, Treme, and Faubourg Marigny & Bywater. Getting around New Orleans isn’t a problem with plenty of affordable options using Lyft and Uber!
Check out my Favorite Strategies Using Points to Book a Hotel in New Orleans Below
Hyatt
Hyatt Centric French Quarter which is located less than one-half a mile away from the center of the French Quarter. This hotel is a great option for only 15,000 Hyatt Points per night!
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The Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown is also a great option located about a mile from the center of the French Quarter. This hotel runs for only 12,000 Hyatt Points per night and includes free breakfast!
Earning Hyatt Hotel Points
There is a Chase Co-branded Hyatt Personal Credit Card that offers opportunities to earn Hyatt Points. In addition, Ultimate Rewards Points earned through one of Chase Bank’s Travel Credit Cards, like the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Unlimited can be transferred to the Hyatt Program. Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer at a ratio of 1 UR Point to 1 Hyatt Point.
Hilton Hotels
The Homewood Suites by Hilton New Orleans French Quarter is located right in the heart of the action. Only a short .14 to the center of the French Quarter, the Homewood Suites is an ideal choice for those travelers looking for great proximity. Award nights start at the Homewood Suites for 50,000 Hilton Honors Points.
The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel is located about a quarter-mile from the heart of the French Quarter. This is a luxury hotel that has been operating here since 1893. Standard Award Nights start at 70,000 Hilton Honors Points per night. Cash rates start at $325 per night here which is a basic rate that I’m not trying to pay!
Earning Hilton Honors Points
There are a handful of American Express Co-branded Hilton Personal and Business Credit Card options that offer opportunities to earn Hilton Honors Points. In addition, Membership Rewards Points earned through any of the MR earning American Express Cards, like the The Platinum Card® from American Express or American Express® Gold Card can be transferred to the Hilton Honors Program. The Ratio to transfer is 1 Membership Rewards Point equals 2 Hilton Honors Points.
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Did you know that Hilton Members who have Gold or Diamond Status receive Free Breakfast?! Many Credit Cards include these complimentary Elite Elevated Statuses as a perk.
Marriott Hotels
The Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter is located dead in the center of the most popular neighborhood. This great location comes at a reasonable 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night during off-peak times. Cash prices for this hotel average $290 per night!
For a more luxurious stay, the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is located less than a half of a mile from the French Quarter Center. The Ritz-Carlton is a Category 6 and will cost 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. The Cash Rate is a whopping $538 per night which is a tremendous value of points!
Earning Marriott Bonvoy Points
There are a handful of both Chase and American Express Co-branded Marriott Bonvoy Personal and Business Credit Cards that offer opportunities to earn Marriott Bonvoy Points. In addition, Ultimate Rewards Points earned through one of Chase Bank’s Travel Credit Cards, like the Sapphire Preferred or Ink Business Unlimited can be transferred to the Marriott Bonvoy Program. Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer at a ratio of 1 UR Point to 1 Bonvoy Point.
Other options for Booking Hotels in New Orleans
Travel Eraser Points
One of the easiest options for saving money on hotel accommodations is by using travel eraser points. After booking a hotel in New Orleans and the charge posting to the account, the travel eraser points can be used to erase the charges. My favorite Travel-eraser currency is Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Miles. As long as the hotel “codes” as travel, it can be erased. This includes hotels booked directly with the hotel chains mentioned above or through various travel portals, like Hotels.com. A Hotel that ends up costing $400 for two nights will require 40,000 Venture Miles to erase the charge, as the miles equate to 1 cent per mile.
Travel Portals (Chase and American Express)
Using points to book directly through both Chase and American Express Travel Portals is a great option for boutique hotels. Often times, it’s possible to find great value through these portals, especially when considering the different bonuses that can be added when using a specific credit card. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve provides an additional 50% bonus when booking hotels through the Ultimate Rewards (UR) Travel Portal with UR points.
There are 177 different Hotel options found within the Chase Ultimate Rewards Portal! Some of my favorite Ultimate Rewards Earning Credit Cards include the Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, and Ink Business Unlimited.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Basic Recap
As you can see there are a handful of options when it comes to booking a hotel in New Orleans using Points. Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Travel-eraser, and Travel-portals are all great options. Choosing a particular option can be difficult with so many available. I’d suggest starting with our Top Credit Card Offers to see which option makes the most sense for your trip to New Orleans.
As always, please feel free to Reach Out to me if you have any questions about booking a hotel in New Orleans using Points!
Have you stayed at a hotel in New Orleans using points?
I’d love to hear in the comments below or over in our 8,700+ Member Basic Travel Facebook Group!
More Basic Reading
- Top Credit Cards of the Month
- Learn how to utilize credit card points with our Basic Travel Course
- How to book an Overwater Bungalow at the Conrad Maldives for cheap!
- Seven Steps to utilize credit card reward points to Save Money
- 16 Side Hustles that can Qualify for a Small Business Credit Card
- Step-by-Step Guide to Completing a Small Business Credit Card Application
For rates and fees for American Express cards mentioned in this post, please see the following links: The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card (See Rates & Fees; terms apply)
