Both classic and glamorous, the luxury Hotel Monaco is a former Masonic temple on St. Charles Avenue in the eye of the Central Business District and within walking distance of the French Quarter, the Morial Convention Center and the Superdome. With the famous St. Charles Avenue streetcar stopping right in front, guests can enjoy rides to the historic Garden District and its opulent mansions, Audubon Park and Zoo.
Behind the 1928 Moorish façade is a lobby that's more living room than meeting spot and a front desk that resembles an alligator-skin steamer trunk. The Monaco's interior draws guests with an exuberant embrace of all that is New Orleans. The 250 guest rooms are decorated in an "artistically chic" barrage of colors and patterns, from leopard-print seats to flower-embossed yellow wallpaper, while bathrooms are conglomerations of pistachio-colored wallpaper and palm-tree patterns. Desks feature lamps with shades reminiscent of Napoleon's hat, but guests just back from partying on Bourbon Street shouldn't put them on their heads. The rooms also feature decorative mosquito netting over the beds, CD players and high- speed Internet access.
Along with oysters, crawfish and Gulf fish at the Cobalt restaurant, the hotel tempts guests with evening happy hours with complimentary chair massages and wine.
What's more, Fido will love this place. The hotel's Bone Appetit packages are packed with welcome toys, including luxurious beds, tasty treats and Evian water. Owners receive maps to parks and gift certificates to "Three Dog Bakery." Hotel staff also can arrange doggie walks, sitting, and veterinarian services. Fido and his four- legged friends can kick back in the hotel's Pet Honor Bar over pet toys and "Yip Yaps." Guests who arrive without pets are provided goldfish upon request.
