hotels in new orleans

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NOLA View: New Orleans
Original reporting, including archived hurricane coverage

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  • Katrina aid goes toward posh Crimson Tide fan condos
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  • A night to remember
Blogging New Orleans

[Beat the heat offers interesting and entertaining ways to cool off in New Orleans this summer.]

One of my favorite things to do whenever I'm in New Orleans is get an iced coffee. I know I could do that practically anywhere, given the prevalence of Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, but for some reason the coffee in New Orleans just tastes different to me. And it tastes better.

Nola is an import town after all, sitting on the river as it does. One of the main things it imports is coffee. So, it should be no surprise that folks around here know their stuff when it comes to the bean. Despite setbacks from the Big K, coffee is indeed still a brewing business for both local mom and pop shops and chains.

So, this tip to beat the heat in New Orleans this summer is:

1. Enjoy an iced coffee from a local cafe.

To me, there is simply nothing better than kicking back with an iced coffee (or iced cappuccino, if you want me to be specific) from Royal Blend Coffee in the French Quarter. While some prefer to sit indoors munching on breakfast pastries and reading the free local papers, I prefer to sit in the beautiful and well-maintained courtyard pretending to be in a different era.

More tips on how to Beat the Beat after the jump!

It's easy to do in such a courtyard, with its bubbling fountain (complete with goldfish last time I checked), lush greenery and shady umbrella tables.

Which brings to mind another tip:

2. After purchasing your refreshing iced coffee, ensure you find someplace shady in/under which to drink it.

Other local cafes serving up the best of the iced bunch include perennial favorite Cafe du Monde, who will:

3. Pair your iced latte with their world-famous beignets (which go down a lot smoother in the summer months with an iced latte).

Some folks in the past have argued that local chain CC's Coffee isn't really that tasty. The one time I sampled it I enjoyed a nice iced coffee, so I can't complain. If you haven't tried CC's yet, give it a whirl--it's easy since there are so many locations, although if I were you I'd:

4. Hit the CC's Coffee by the World War II Museum and then hang out indoors.

Finally, if you find yourself in the Garden District (and you should):

5. Hit the coffee shop in the bookstore nestled in a shopping center called the Rink. They make a fabulous iced cappuccino, which you can enjoy along with the air conditioning while perusing new titles from local authors.

I am sure there are innumerable places to enjoy a nice cup of iced joe during the summer months in New Orleans, Can you think of any hot (cool) spots I've missed to add to the list?

If not, then sip up! Iced coffee season only lasts so long, you know!

  • [Beat the Heat offers interesting and entertaining ways to cool off and get the most out of New Orleans this summer.]

    So my colleagues and I normally start to write about how darned hot it is in New Orleans this time of year. Actually, we're really a tad behind this year since it's already mid-July. Perhaps the heat hasn't been as unbearable. Or, perhaps, the heat has been so bad we've lost sight of everything.

    And let's not forget the humidity! If there is one thing Nola knows best, it's humidity. How much there is of it (too much of it), what it does to us (wilts us) and when it will end (never...or maybe December!). I think it is safe to say that everyone in New Orleans, from the loyal citizen to the seasoned tourist to the dude who came down to check out the Katrina damage to the people who wouldn't dream of setting foot here know just how frickin' hot it gets in the Crescent City after the vernal equinox.

    So let's not bother talking about that. Instead, let's talk about ways to beat the heat. After all, New Orleans is always going to be hot and humid and, at times, stickier than the floor at Cate du Monde. And truth be told we need tourism here in the hot summer months more than perhaps at any other time of year.

    During the early months of the year events like Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest draw thousands upon thousands of fabulous tourists, but once July hits folks pretty much consider themselves crazy to take on the heat down here. They carry this sentiment even though some of the best deals EVER are to be had.

    I know when I visited last August I stayed in a seriously swanky hotel in the French Quarter that normally cost almost $300 a night. We stayed for about $100. And it was NICE. And it had a pool!

    So, let that be the first tip on how to beat the heat this summer in New Orleans:

    1. Visit the city; stay in a hotel where there is a pool.

    Also, in that vein:

    2. Er, uh, call first to make sure the pool is functioning and isn't due for a chlorine treatment the day you arrive. Some ads for some hotels used to mention pools that no longer were in service, kind regards of the Big K.

    Sometimes the pool is merely being renovated. Jazz Fest 2006 we stayed at the VERY nice Hilton near the World Trade Center (and Harrah's). I forgot to call and check and it turned out their pool was being renovated. Sigh.

    By now (post-Katrina) most of what you read about a hotel is accurate. If the hotel claims they have a pool said pool should be in working order. And I can assure you, there is NOTHING like diving into a crisp, cool, blue pool in the middle of an August day. Whew!

    Last August we stayed at the Maison Dupuy, which is tucked away in the French Quarter off the beaten path of Toulouse. Their pool resides in the middle of a very well kept courtyard and is marvelously refreshing. I was also preggers at the time so it felt good to relax in the water.

    Another little tip:

    3. If you plan on using the pool, make sure you bring your swimsuit! I forgot mine, even though one of the main reasons we chose the Maison Dupuy was for their (working) pool! I ended up hitting the Banana Republic in the mall off Decatur (by the river) to grab a swimsuit.

    It's a good thing I did because, frankly, I don't know how I would have made it through that trip without frequent dips in the pool. We saw the sights and ate the food and all