I was in town for the Essence Music Festival, but I now know I don't need a special reason to visit New Orleans. The room was great, the staff was courteous (really enjoyed chatting with the doorman, although I didn't get his name) and I now know where I'll be staying any time I'm in New Orleans.

Hotel is not for the business traveler. No desk in room, lighting is poor. There was a fire alarm, maybe its all the candels burning in the lobby, and a fire door closed off my room and no one could open it for almost two hours. Gave me three drink tickets for my inconvenience. No restaurant a minus. Coffee and fruit available, coffee is awful. My toilet ran every time it was flushed, call the desk numerous times, no one fixed it. Wasting water on their dime not mine.

International House's best asset is its location. Very central, but also off the main streets, so the rooms are relatively quiet. The big disadvantage is the lack of restaurant.

I stayed here for a business covention. The property is unique, cute and trendy. The rooms are little dark, but other than that it was a nice stay. It was centrally located so we could walk to everywhere we needed to get to. I would definitely stay here again on a return trip. Try Le Phare bar down the street, nice spot for drinks.

Stayed at International House pre-Katrina and it was FABULOUS. Stayed for 5 nights for a conference which included the last weekend of Jazz Fest 2008 and was down-right disgusted. Mod hotels (worth $359/night - yes, that's right, was Jazz Fest) should be impeccably clean- it was NOT. Tiles cracked in elevators and foyer, walls need painting, one handle missing on hotel's entry doors (for the whole week?), stains on carpets in the room, no minibar, etc, etc.... The first night I arrived, I got my own luggage out of the trunk of the cab (while the bellman with attitude watched me), then was given a room with no windows and a metal roof escape door in the ceiling. It rained and I got no sleep at all. The second night they moved me to LOFT 523 (sister property) across the street and put me in another dirty room over the bar. Again (although I am coming in at 1-2 AM), got no sleep due to people shouting at each other outside the bar all night! The third night, they moved me back to International House (after Jazz Fester's left) and I finally got some sleep. Friends stayed at Loew's - had great views, superclean rooms, great service, CHEAPER price. Pluses: the manager (although the rest of staff cannot make a decision without him), the bar drinks (although really slow in coming), ran into Tommy Lee at the bar and got a great photo with him. ROCK ON! but stay somewhere else.