New Orleans Hotel vs. New Orleans B&B (Part II)

A sign in the Weisbaden, Germany, City Hall

Neither Frau Schmitt nor myself are big believers in voodoo, but we know a lot about it.  You can't not know about voodoo if you live in New Orleans.  I don't want to lead you to believe that occult arts are everywhere or that voodoo queens are still around for consultation---they are, especially in Jackson Square.  We just don't go there often.  I'll admit, neither one of us has had our palms read.  

Here's what I know:  There is magic in New Orleans.

There is magic whether you stay in one of the chain hotels in the Central Business District, what we call the CBD down here, and there is magic if you stay in an eccentric and colorful New Orleans B&B.  Is it there's more magic in a B&B?  Some people don't believe in it, but we know one person who wrote a comparison between the features she found in a hotel she stayed in after staying at La Belle Esplanade:

World's largest cuckoo clock, Weisbaden, Germany

Hotel:  View of a busy street from the window.  Cars stuck in traffic.

B&B:  View of lush gardens from a private balcony facing the back.  A living neighborhood made up of old small homes lit every morning by a citrus sunrise glow.  

Hotel:  Standard fiberglass tub and shower.

B&B:  Antique cast iron claw foot tub equipped with a shower head.  Inviting for a long relaxing soak; efficient for a quick rinse, when desired.  

Hotel:  Credit card key.

B&B:  A house key.  It was our home for the duration of our stay, after all.

Hotel:  A dark room with neutral walls and anonymous furniture store artwork presumably purchased by the square foot.

B&B:  The glow of soft lights welcoming us at night, up the stairs to a room painted different colors, with a sky blue ceiling, and original artwork, prints of historical maps, and an antique mirror, and ceiling fans.  

A live oak in City Park, New Orleans

A lot of people come to New Orleans, and, if they only visit the places listed in guide books, they'll see a part of New Orleans, but they won't get a real grasp of everything this great city contains.  People live out rewarding lives in New Orleans.  There is magic here, and it isn't just the kind magic that can be packaged and sold. 

City Park is almost twice the size of Central Park in New York.  You don't need to walk all over it to know that City Park is special. One place you probably won't walk if you're here for a short visit is the abandoned golf course in the middle of the park.  That's where the picture above was taken.

There are more secrets than anyone can possibly discover, even on the longest weekend.  Those are for the people who live here to know.  They know them, and they share them.  Some of them work in hotels, of course, but they don't have the time to share.  Corporate frowns on it, anyway.  The policy of a big chain hotel is, "get 'em in, get 'em out, keep 'em quiet."  

We do like our guests to be courteous to the other guests, but we also encourage everyone to explore, to ask questions, to go where few other tourists go.  That's where you'll find the magic that makes New Orleans great.  Everything else is the gravy that spills over the side of the plate.

Part III follows in a few days.  Until then...
A votre santé,
La Belle Esplanade bed and breakfast.

We look forward to meeting you and sharing what we can about this magical city we call home.