Hotel PARC ST. CHARLES

The Parc Street Charles Hotel offers the best of both worlds: a downtown location where the historic St. Charles Avenue streetcar line intersects with the bustling and modern business corridor. Between the streetcar line and one of the Big Easy's best carnival corners, St. Charles Avenue and Poydras Street, the 11 story hotel puts guests four blocks from the French Quarter and 13 blocks from the historic Café Du Monde, a must see for many travelers. The Parc also sits next to the giant oak trees and shaded benches of Lafayette Square, one of the city's oldest parks. What's more, the hotel also stands three blocks from the Warehouse District, an increasingly yuppified neighborhood where visitors browse through art galleries rather than straining on loading docks. Meanwhile, in this city synonymous with fine dining, guests at the Parc St. Charles can find nearly every type of gastronomical delight within short walks from the hotel. They also can enjoy the hotel's Corner Pub, a popular bar that overlooks Poydras Street, and Panasia, the fine dining establishment that dishes up Thai and contemporary Western dishes, such as rib eye steaks and braised lamb shanks. As in the words of Homer Simpson, mmmmmmmmm . . . braised lamb shanks] To get away from the crowds, guests can retreat to the rooftop for the hotel's fitness center, heated pool and sundeck, or get their work done with the hotel's business services. They then can return to their guest rooms, which feature contemporary décor, safes, video games, pay movies, bathrobes, coffee makers and dial up Internet access. With its location at St. Charles and Poydras, four blocks from the French Quarter, the contemporary Parc Street Charles Hotel is a fav for budget conscious travelers visiting the city for business and pleasure.