Built in the 1800s for the fabulously wealthy Baron Joseph Xavier de Pontalba, the Historic French Market Inn was the official government house when Louisiana was still a French colony. The atmosphere has changed since the baron shot his daughter-in-law and then turned the gun on himself: today, the original 19th-century brick walls, elegant brass beds, and lush courtyard speak of romance. The wrought-iron gates guarding the entrance whisper of a different pace; a grand staircase sweeps from the ground floor rotunda to the second-floor lobby, and antique period pieces convey two centuries of New Orleans history.

Historic French Market Inn Amenities:

• 108 rooms, 4 story. Complimentary continental breakfast. Check-out 11 am. Bar. Outdoor pool.