(photo we found of a French Quarter truck delivering bananas c. 1928)
Location, location, location. Some say that's the most important thing. The bed and breakfast is 1/2 block to the French Quarter, only a 3 minute walk to the world-famous Bourbon Street, and a block to the luxury inn where celebrities stay. You can walk to the Ernest Morial Convention Center, French Market, Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral, historic cemeteries, Mississippi Riverboats, Cafe du Monde, Canal St., Mardi Gras parades, shops, restaurants, music clubs and bars, St. Charles Avenue, or "hitch a ride" on the streetcars to historic areas not in the FRENCH QUARTER.
(Here we go again with excuses, excuses. There is so much to do, we may NEVER finish this web site or get photo's updated!) Note to guests who stayed with us in the 90s: Over the past few years, we repainted everything. The plaster detailing inside is a knockout! You may not recognize the place when you come back. The bamboo has taken off out front, making the front courtyard and verandah into a secluded haven. Between the bamboo and the luxury condo's carriage house built next door, you can't even see the house now.
The Big Easy: If you are seeking a memorable experience, we invite you to join our family of international friends. Take a trip to the past and enjoy Southern hospitality and personal attention (a little or a lot - to your liking).
SPECIAL FEATURES at main B&B:
lush, tropical COURTYARD,
HAMMOCK, verandah and porch
ANTIQUES and vintage furniture,
interesting collectibles from around the world +lots of interesting "stuff" (you won't believe how much!)
fireplaces, HIGH CEILINGS, original cypress millwork, and hardwood floors downstairs
PORCH SWING on our verandah
resident raconteur (folks, that means a fellow who loves to tell stories)
a special Cuban banana tree circa 1958 (yes, our chatty raconteur, Hugh, will explain its history)
Creole +Victorian architecture
hand painted wall MURAL and elaborate ceiling medallions
COMPARE OUR RATES WITH HOTELS.
'YESIREE!' rates at the B&B include:
local 'phone calls,
energy surcharge,
generous Continental breakfast served in the dining room
applicable tax
a welcome drink
LAGNIAPPE at the main B&B:
ceiling fans, inside and out (Yep, we've got ceiling fans outside, too, 'cause it can get hot as Hades in New Orleans in the summer folks!)
extras when we are around, daytime: WINE, beer
casual atmosphere
gated parking lot (in and out privileges, call for rate for dates you will be staying with us)
diverse history (once a BORDELLO and also home to a VOODOO practitioner)
lots of books to read
we try keep soft drinks (soda pop), bottled water for guests to grab anytime (free)
extensive library of information on sightseeing, restaurants, music, tours and more (nope, after the 2 'ladies' visited our city, haven't had time to update them all)
BEST OF OLD AND NEW:
'New fangled' things like:
Cable TV,
WIFI (wireless Internet) THROUGHOUT HOUSE and a computer center in the public area so you can check emails FREE, and print boarding passes. (yep, at a snail's pace, we're moving, kicking and screaming into this century)
iron + board
In room telephones, free outgoing calls (even though we live on site, we are not here every minute of the day, so we can take messages for you, but can't transfer calls to your room).
hair dryers
heat and air conditioning
guest coffee makers, microwave
refrigerator for your 'doggie bags' or medication that requires refrigeration
GUESTS SAY THEY'VE NEVER SEE SO MUCH STUFF!
Mardi Gras costumes displayed,
fantastic ART (even a hand painted mural),
curios
lots of BOOKS
vintage doll collection
Neighborhood: Some people think of the French Quarter only as the crowded, bustling Bourbon Street. In the residential section, year round residents live a less hurried lifestyle, where we can tell the time by the clip clop of horses hooves pulling buggies back to the stables at night, the calliope music from the Mississippi riverboat, or church bells pealing. Yet, our neighborhood is only a short stroll under century old live oaks to the "other" Quarter. Many think this is the best of both worlds.
Laissez le Bon Temps Rouler (Let the Good Times Roll): The rest of the Vieux Carre is just around the corner - restaurants, music clubs, museums, bars & riverboats. The B&B is also within walking distance of the historic St. Charles and Canal Streetcars, Mardi Gras parades, Aquarium and the Morial Convention Center.
WHAT TO DO AND SEE, where to go, how to get there: When guests register at the B&B, we highlight a map, orient you to the French Quarter, share our collection of information on sightseeing, music and dance clubs, restaurants for the best dining experience.
OUR DINING ROOM
The B&B: The section you are in now, has photo's of the house and our courtyard, tells you a little about its secret history. This section also includes details of the building, tells about our Cuban banana trees, and the common areas available to guests staying at the main B&B.
>>>>> If you're easily bored, you might want to STOP reading this section and skip to the "nitty gritty" to look at our accommodations. At the top of this page, click on the words ACCOMMODATION OVERVIEW to use the pull down menu where, if you scroll down, each accommodation is individually described, with photo's.
Or, CONTACT US:
Toll free USA and most of Canada: 800-842-4748
Local # 504-947-4475, fax 504-949-5689
Email: info@bananacourtyard.com (If you are in the USA, please try to CALL us, toll free, rather than sending an email. There is only l'il ol' me, the banana lady, and our daughter in law, Laurie, to do emails and the accommodation you want may be rented before we have time to respond to an email.)
If you're not bored yet, read on.
THE BANANA COURTYARD: The side gallery leads to a tropical courtyard where you can relax under a banana tree's shade, sip on cool drinks, or eat crawfish or seafood po' boys bought from the local seafood market, a couple of blocks away.
Some days you'll find guests taking a nap in the hammock in the courtyard. If you're inside, you won't believe all the stuff you'll see in our lobby.
double click picture to enlarge
THE HAVANA, ATLANTA, TENNESSEE, MARDI GRAS, BANANA TREE: The centerpiece of our courtyard is a 40' banana tree brought from Cuba in 1958. By summertime each year, its uppermost branches are taller than the house. Guests relax under its protecting branches while we acquaint them with its story. While you are here, ask us and we'll tell you about its well traveled history.
Blending Creole and Victorian: Although the floor plan at the main B&B is primarily Creole, the exterior is mostly Victorian. The unusual side hall floor plan is one of the first of its kind, as traditional Creole houses had center halls. The house also has a gabled, side bay, which is not typical. Native craftsmen produced an abundance of mahogany and cypress millwork. Architectural detail above the verandah and side gallery includes cutwork panels that are banded with a frieze of bull's eyes. There are fluted window architraves with bull's eyes and cap moulded cornices. The front fence is stucco with wishbone patterned wrought iron coming to Fleur de lis points Most of the original elaborately patterned brass hinges and doorknob plates remain.
Downstairs, there are 13' ceilings, ornamental ceiling medallions, cove and crowne moulding, with hardwood floors throughout the house, marble or carved wood, ornamental fireplaces in all but one room, and an eclectic collection of "stuff" (books, art, antiques, Oriental rugs, antique dolls, Antebellum heirlooms, collectibles, and contemporary furniture).
A chequered past and interesting history
Stairwell: Dominating the wall of the stairwell is an impressive costume, worn by the Captain of the Rotarian Krewe in their 1999 Mardi Gras parade. At the top of the staircase is a small ante-room, where an elaborate Mardi Gras costume worn in the Bacchus Parade hangs on the wall.
DINING ROOM: Now, the room that housed the bordello's bar is our dining room. It is the center of morning activity, where guests get acquainted over breakfast, sip New Orleans blend coffee with chicory, and thumb through our collection of information on New Orleans restaurants, sightseeing, clubs, music, etc.
Your eyes will never rest in this room. High atop a huge, Indonesian, antique wood chest, is a big, stuffed peacock used as a prop in a movie set. A pair of antique candelabra from a church alter are on either side. On the wall above, is an antique lace wedding gown. On another wall is the antique Painted Lady, a piece from plantation family home in Peach County, Georgia., oil painted on fabric featured in the TV poetry documentary based on a poem by family friend A.J. Stahl: The Dress. On another wall is a hand painted mural featuring a banana tree. When you look at the ceiling, you'll think we put paper border between the picture moulding and cove moulding, but its really a hand painted border. A big sea tortoise shell hangs on another wall. (Yep. We've got stuffed animals and pelts here. We inherited them, so don't blame us.)
Painted Lady tapestry
AWAKEN TO THE AROMA OF NEW ORLEANS BLEND COFFEE and breakfast treats beckoning you to the dining room. Complimentary continental breakfast is served in the dining room.
BREAKFAST: Coffee, tea, juice, and toast are served daily. An additional treat, fresh from neighborhood bakeries, is also served for variety. We keep fruit on the table for guests to grab WHENEVER they want.
BREAKFAST FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS: Because we strive to please every palate, if you let us know in advance, we will try to serve what you enjoy in your country: like cheese to our Northern European and Scandinavian guests, and olives and tomatoes for our Mediterranean guests.
Double Parlors, that are now the Cannonball Room and the Hexagon Room. When the house was a bordello, the double parlors were separated by a pair of massive, arched pocket doors that disappeared into the wall when opened. The parlours are now used as bedrooms and are rented as a suite or as two individual bedrooms. Each room has a seating area, decorative fireplace, cove and crowne moulding, ceiling fan and ornate ceiling medallions with fruit (pomegranates, grapes, peach, pear).
← For a full description of ALL accommodations (rooms at main B&B and our other accommodations), click on the word "Accommodation" in the frame to the left. At the top of that section, ABOVE the photo of the stained glass door, look for a BOX containing the words "ROOM PHOTO'S and Description" and click the arrow pointed down on the right side of the box. That opens a pull-down/drop down menu. Scroll down to the accommodation, click to open and there will be a full description, with photo's. Click the arrow each time you want to look at a different room, accomodation.
CONTACT US:
Toll free USA and most of Canada: 800-842-4748
Local # 504-947-4475, fax 504-949-5689
Email: info@bananacourtyard.com
Main B&B office is at 1422 N. Rampart. We're small and not like an hotel, so do not take 'drop ins', as we are often in and out. Registration is by appointment only.