Weekend Getaway to New Orleans with Hotel Fontenot

In partnership with Kimpton Hotels.

Waking up at 5 AM to drive 7 hours with your best friends, making countless stops along the way for a [sudden] gas station trucker hat addiction and copious amounts of fast food? Count me in.

Last weekend, my friends and I took a quick little road trip down to the Big Easy – made possible by the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot.

Treat Yourself: Stay at the Hotel Fontenot

We were really in for a treat after that drive. The Hotel Fontenot could not have been more welcoming upon our arrival. From the moment we checked in, we were given welcome drinks & snacks, on top of an array of places to check out in the area once we got settled in the room…

The room itself was TOP. We stayed in a suite overlooking the south bank of the Mississippi River. It was so sleek and modern yet charming with deep teal accents and local artwork throughout the space. The beds were so comfortable that I was looking up where to buy that exact mattress when I came home! It’s almost as if the rooms were designed to be a true haven after a day of traveling or even a night on Bourbon 😉.

Explore French Quarter ⚜️

New Orleans is such a beautiful city and it would be a literal crime to not go to the French Quarter. Hotel Fontenot is located 8 minutes walking to the French Quarter, so it’s the perfect win-win situation. We passed the time people watching, dancing to live jazz, eating beignets, and shopping from local artists.

Exude Main Character Energy at the Peacock Room

I was itching for it to be 7:30PM by the time I woke up that morning because I was SO eager to dine at the Peacock Room. I had been looking at pictures online of this restaurant for months! To see the beauty of the Peacock Room in person had me feeling ✨elite✨. The design, little accents, and overall ambience of this restaurant was so breathtaking.

Sooooo, in terms of food…. To be completely honest with you, I already knew what I was going to order weeks in advance. 😆 The fried Louisiana oysters, the chorizo stuffed dates, and smoked mozzarella arancini were all devoured that night. For drinks, we had a few rounds of their craft cocktails – El Pavo Real, Carnival, and my favorite, the Flock to Me. Everything was amazing. I was almost tempted to go again the second night.

Do Bourbon to Say You Did!

When planning this trip, I told myself I wouldn’t go to Bourbon. I’ve been to NOLA a few times and I didn’t want to have any sluggish days because of a night out on that street. That changed when I found out it was one of my friend’s first time in the city. Essentially, it’s a rite of passage, so we went. We had grenades from Tropical Isle, danced in random alley bars, and had a good ole time. Until the headaches greeted us the next day…

Go BACK to the Peacock Room… for Brunch 🥂

One thing I really loved about both dinner AND brunch menus at the Peacock Room was that they didn’t overwhelm you with a catalogue of dishes. They simply make what they’re good at. And that’s everything. Therefore, we ordered almost everything for brunch that day. Je ne regrette nien!

Everything was amazing, I really loved their biscuit sandwich. But here’s a tip for when you go: if you don’t order everything like we did, at least make sure to get the yogurt parfait. I know, of ALL things right? And before you even question if I got it for the sake of aesthetic, you’re wrong. It was the best parfait I have ever had in my life. Believe me.

Ride the Trolley

After a night out on Bourbon, we really had to rally but once we got some good ole hair of the dog from Gospel Coffee, we were well on our way… to do some more debauchery. Kidding! We walked 2 minutes from Hotel Fontenot and bought $3 day passes for the trolley. The RTA is the cutest and best way to get around New Orleans. You can download the Le Pass app and be on your merry way about town. Bonus: you can take your drink with you!

Explore the Garden District

We took the St. Charles Streetcar Line which is actually the oldest operating streetcar line in the world. That trolley took us to the Garden District where we spent the day walking around, antiquing, and snacking on local favorites. Make sure to stop by Dat Dog and order an alligator hot dog!

Have Cajun Food!

The team took a bruising the night before, to say the least. So we weren’t up for another long night out. We were able to get a reservation at one of the oldest restaurants in NOLA – Tujagues. This restaurant was hauntingly beautiful with its decor, exposed brick walls, original chandeliers and mosaic-tiled floors. We had gumbo & shrimp and grits – it was amazing. I was feeling adventurous and tried out the turtle soup… it was different to say the least. 🥴

Send yourself off with breakfast from Gospel Coffee

On our last day, we didn’t have too much time to linger in the city so for breakfast, we went to Gospel Coffee located in the Hotel Fontenot lobby. We got some fabulous coffee that gave us the kick we needed to get us on the road, as well as some Rancheros dishes to give us some much need fuel.

Thank you to the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot and team for making this trip happen and for such a wonderful stay. I can’t wait to come back!