Good guests make good company

Our new official Trip Advisor official

I wouldn't say I've met a lot of people from Iowa over the course of my life, but I've met more than Frau Schmitt has while she's lived in the U.S.  It's not that people from Iowa are uncommon.  It's the 31st most populous state in the nation, with a population of a little over 3,000,000.  

The population of Connecticut is 3,500,000; it's the 30th most populous state.  The population of Louisiana is 4,625,000.  Louisiana is the 25th most populous state.  

Iowa contains 56,202 sq. miles (rank: 26), Lousiana contains 52,378 square miles (rank 31), and Connecticut has 5,543 square miles (rank: 48).  We live in a big country full of people.

The reason Iowa's been on my mind is because I've always held the opinion that the nicest people come from Iowa.  I said this to Glenda in the lobby.  I know she enjoys reading our blog, so I want to make sure that she knows I wasn't just saying it to be polite.  My opinion is now a matter of public record.

I have a wish.  9,000,000 people visit New Orleans every year for business or pleasure, mostly for pleasure.  New Orleans has 350.2 sq. miles, some of it water, and there are about 450 hotels and B&Bs in the city.  My wish is that everyone who visits New Orleans from Iowa stays with us.  We only have five suites so we may not always have room for everyone, but if we do, and you're from Iowa, we hope you'll consider staying with us.  

Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain

This weekend we had guests from Iowa (Hi, Glenda!), and also guests from Boston, from the U.K., from Tallahassee, from Arkansas, from California, from Sweden, from Philly, and from Chicago.  They weren't all here at the same time, but it was a long weekend: Independence Day and Essence Fest.  I'm not saying that it wasn't a pleasure to host everyone, or that Iowa people are better, or anything.  They would certainly never say that.  Everyone is welcome.    I'm not laying out the welcome mat only to Iowa citizens or to Iowans-at-heart.  It just occurred to me that New Orleans could use a little more Iowa in it. 

After you stay with us, if you want to see what the rest of America is like, we'd like to recommend a trip Iowa's northwest corner.  It's like the northeast corner of Connecticut.  It's the way things should be in a lot of ways.  

Lawrence Ferlinghetti one told me, "Open eye, open heart."  When you explore your surroundings with curiosity and enthusiasm, you will have the adventure of a lifetime no matter where you are.  New Orleans is a great place to visit and it's a great place to live in.  There are other places that are just as nice, just in a different way.  

We've been getting a lot of demand to stay with us and we are offering more lagniappe than we used to at check-in, at breakfast, and at check-out, and during the day.  For this reason we have to raise our prices a modest amount next season.  It costs us a bit more to offer a bit more.  Unfortunately, it has never been our policy to offer discounts or accept coupons.  Good memories are made in New Orleans. 

A votre santé,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.