Virgin Hotels New Orleans

First stay will be my last stay (and likely won’t stay at other Virgin hotels because of it), which is sad because I was genuinely looking forward to staying here. A couple of key points: - Cute design but tries a little too hard for “edgy”. The chamber design is downright weird - toilet and shower are each in a room and you step out of your shower into the room. - Location is ok, but a little desolate at night; makes for a quiet stay though. -Bed is comfy. - Robes are nice. - Had to laugh at the “snacks at street prices”… exactly what street are they shopping on? Mini bars are typically overpriced and most travelers accept that, but don’t advertise them as “street prices” then. - Be advised that when you prepay for a room, it doesn’t include the mysterious “resort fee” of $50 a day. - Also be advised that the hotel is cashless - if you need a bill broken for tips, go buy a pack of gum at CVS down the street. - Dinner at restaurant is ok, but there are much better restaurants a short walk away. - The pool and area around it is small, as many have noted, but it is pretty (was too cold to use, but in summer must be nice to enjoy). - Some of the people that work there are great, particularly at the front desk and the gentleman in the Funny Library. - This experience is what sealed the “never again” though: I went downstairs to check out and to call an Uber to the port. One of the staff (security or bellman, not sure) said “I’ll get a ride for you”. An Uber to the port at that time of day is only around $8 (I had just checked the app a moment before) so I asked how much the ride is. And he said about $8 so I agreed to it. Turns out he called a taxi that’s a buddy of his who never turned their meter on. My mistake for not asking him to turn the meter on or asking what the flat rate was as soon as I got in (I should know better). He told me told me $20 when we got near my destination. He told me it’s really $16 but he tips the guy at Virgin for giving him business. I understand that taxis have a hard time because of ride shares, but this was disgraceful and unacceptable and I felt taken advantage of. It wasn’t even the $20, it was the shadiness of the whole thing. There are much better places to stay in NOLA.

We had loved everything about this hotel, and were all set to become Virgin loyalists. We prepaid for our stay last June via American Express Fine Hotels Program, which also allows for a free upgrade when available. Upon arrival, we were given the free upgrade to a fabulous suite. Terrific! However, after discharge, we were charged for this "free upgrade" a whooping $1200. Mistakes happen, and I get that. But at least 7 calls were made to the hotel. Twice we were told the manager would call us back, but never did. We have had to resort to disputing the charge via credit card. We are so disappointed, because we loved our stay at this gorgeous hotel. The food was great; the staff was awesome. But, buyer beware.

I cannot say enough about Ryan at the front desk. I was in NYC and needed a favor for a dear friend having a hard time. He went above and beyond to make it happen. This is the only review I have ever left if that tells you anything. He's incredible!!

Brazil here! I’ve stayed in so many different hotels in NOLA (one of my favorite cities in the world), and honestly, this hotel is the best, in my opinion! I love everything about it, the vibe, the decor, the rooms… but the staff is the best part of it. Everybody is so nice! And Lance is the sweetest guy in the café (sorry it took me this long to share this feedback, but I promised you I would and I don’t break my promises)! :)

I was OVERCHARGED for my stay which is unacceptable. Please be advised that additional charges were made AFTER checkout with no permission. I spent 30 minutes on hold trying get a hold of a manager to resolve the issue, and was simply told to call my bank, with little effort from the hotel staff to take responsibility or help fix the problem. All they had to do was split the payment on two cards initially.. which they failed to do. A week later, I see multiple pending charges.. why are my debit cards/ finances still accessible AFTER checkout? On top of that, the rooftop amenity was not available to all guests, despite being advertised otherwise. To make matters worse, the security guard, Bob, was incredibly rude and unprofessional, making the experience even more unpleasant. The final straw was unauthorized charges on my debit card, which left me feeling scammed and frustrated. This hotel clearly lacks accountability and decent customer service. I highly recommend avoiding this place at all costs. It’s a huge hassle! I was told to call the bank, when the discrepancy is for the hotel to correct!