Highlights: Windsor Court Hotel

•The Windsor Court Hotel is in a great location on the edge of the French Quarter in New Orleans, far enough from the entertainment district to enjoy a peaceful stay

•Personal, exceptional, often anticipatory service

•Masterful décor features 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century masterpieces and English-style themes

•High tea at Le Salon, cigars and music in the Polo Lounge, divine meals at the New Orleans Grill

•State-of-the-art business center, specially designed business suites, and wireless Internet access throughout

•Personal in-room spa services provide ultimate pampering, along with well-equipped health club overlooking expansive outdoor pool and whirlpool

Amenities: Windsor Court Hotel

• 322 rooms, 23 story. Pets accepted, some restrictions; fee. Check-in 3 pm, check-out Noon. High-speed Internet access, wireless Internet access. Restaurant, bar. Fitness room, fitness classes available. Outdoor pool, whirlpool. Airport transportation available. Business center. Credit cards accepted.

General Impressions: Windsor Court Hotel

While the downtown Windsor Court Hotel, an Orient Express property, doesn’t resemble a castle from the outside, “regal” was the first word that came to mind when I stepped into the lobby. With its soft lights, comfortable dark wood furnishings, and walls adorned with original oil paintings and scenes of merry old England, it has an elegant and rich feeling befitting its royal name. Art and crystal chandeliers even decorate the elevators, and lounge staff members wear crisp, collarless white jackets with black pants reminiscent of someone serving James Bond a martini. Often the hotel hosts European royalty, presidents, rock stars, and matinee idols. Yet with genuine hospitality, every effort is made to make guests feel welcome and at home amid the luxury -- a perfect mix of English formality and Southern hospitality.

Its cosseting comforts are so all-encompassing that the hotel could well be a destination in itself. Even better, its façade rises just one block across Canal Street from the quirky charms and idiosyncratic lifestyle of the French Quarter in New Orleans. Just far enough away from the entertainment district for a quiet night’s sleep, the hotel offers easy access to the best of all the varied worlds of The Big Easy.

Suites and guest rooms are so spacious, comfortable, and pretty, as well as sprinkled with so many indulgences, you may never want to leave your room. But adjacent attractions lure, and the knowledgeable and helpful staff are happy to set up almost any entertainment you desire.

Romantic getaways are a high priority here, with special courtesies offered to honeymooners and those celebrating special occasions. For the business traveler, the hotel combines the comforts of home with the efficiency of the office, and its location across from the French Quarter offers plenty to do at night.

Although the hotel itself has few options for children’s activities, just across Canal Street awaits the many family-friendly attractions of the riverfront and Jackson Square.

(+) Once they arrive at this exceptional hotel, travelers may never want to go home

Guest Services: Windsor Court Hotel

Orient Express properties school their service personnel well. Personal and gracious service is all-important, and there is a sense of pride in performance. During my stay at the Windsor Court Hotel, the staff was warm and eager to please, often anticipating needs before I stated them. Smiles were frequent; details mattered. For example, registration took place while comfortably seated at an antique table, and when I asked for money change, the bills were counted out on a silver platter.

I was met and greeted outside by a bellman with an umbrella. Check-in was fast and efficient, and baggage service was seamless- -- my luggage arrived at my room in about five minutes. A larger suite was offered for a nominal charge. Hotel management , in recognition of the anniversary I had mentioned to the reservations agent, sent a complimentary bottle of champagne with a personal note to my room. I felt pampered by room service, the laundry staff showed a genuine concern for my satisfaction, and I was pleased with the manner in which one concierge made suggestions for jazz clubs. However, another concierge was abrupt and unhelpful when asked for departure information. Still, the departure service was efficient, and the staff conveyed appreciation for my visit and wished my spouse and I a happy anniversary.

(+) Staff members are polite, thoughtful, and helpful, intent on making guests feel welcome and pampered
(-) Telephone operators are abrupt, need to be more helpful

Guest Rooms: Windsor Court Hotel

The Windsor Court Hotel has some of the most spacious accommodations in New Orleans. The hotel offers 324 deluxe rooms, 266 of them suites labeled full or junior. Even the other 58 rooms (labeled guest) are large, and eight are located below the 10th floor with special barrier-free accessibility. Unusually large, luxurious marble baths and private balconies or bay windows are the norm. Many suites have kitchenettes with refrigerators and separate dressing rooms, and all have stunning views of the high-rise cityscape or the Mississippi River.

My room was beautiful and very spacious, bright and airy with pastel colors predominantly yellow. French doors separated the bedroom and living room, making the suite feel more like a home. Furniture was antique in design and formal yet comfortable, with a relaxed elegance. Original artwork filled the walls, and it was nice to open the door to the balcony and let fresh air into the room. Bedcovers were elegant, with 285-thread-count Italian Fili D’oro Egyptian cotton linens. Imported chocolates or house-made New Orleans pralines rested upon a choice of pillows at turndown.

Grooming areas were spacious, and the English Penhaligon toiletries had wonderful aromas , but neither the moisturizer or shower gel was replenished after I had used them. I felt the bathroom was not properly cleaned (maybe housekeeping rushed to get the room ready since we changed rooms at the last minute) nor was I happy with the overall level of housekeeping and turndown service.

Two 10-room penthouse suites are the utmost in glamour, attracting celebrities by the dozens to their secluded terraces, museum-quality art, and baby grand pianos. Privately keyed club-level suites occupy the top four floors of the hotel for the most spectacular views, premium décor, and amenities, such as rain-forest showerheads, customized pillow-top mattresses, flat-screen TVs, Bose music systems, and club privileges in the Polo Lounge. The Club Lounge will open in spring of 2007.

Accommodations come complete with everything you need but your clothes, and some day the Windsor Court Hotel will probably manage that, too. The only amenity I lacked was a lint brush, and, while my request for one provided some initial doubt from housekeeping, when it arrived promptly, it was gift wrapped.

(+) Unusually large rooms and soothing, elegant ambiance give this hotel a rich feeling without ostentation

Facilities & Activities: Windsor Court Hotel

Art lovers will want to take the Windsor Court Hotel’s complimentary guided tour of its $8 million collection of art, antiques, and memorabilia assembled since its beginning in 1984. Tours takes place each Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., and each piece of art has its own fascinating story.

The convenience of spa services in the privacy of your own room is the ultimate luxury. The concierge books your appointment, and there you are in your comfy robe ready for facials, massages, manicures, and pedicures. Then dip into the outdoor pool and whirlpool, or have a steam in the health club on the fourth floor. I found the club was missing a truly upscale feel, but there was a good selection of cardio equipment, treadmills, elliptical trainers, and recumbent bikes- everything needed for a basic workout -and the space was bright and clean, with a variety of amenities available in the locker room. The expansive pool overlooks the city, and beverages and snacks are available.

While the hotel’s only activity for children is swimming in a large and attractive outdoor pool, many attractions for families are near the Windsor Court Hotel. Three blocks away is the riverside Aquarium of the Americas and Entergy IMAX Theatre, as well as the riverboat that cruises back and forth to the world-class Audubon Zoo. Youngsters also love the numerous swamp tours that can be arranged through the concierge, streetcar rides, the nearby Louisiana Children’s Museum, carriage rides through the French Quarter, and the street entertainers around Jackson Square.

Shoppers will enjoy the luxury mall across Canal Street and Riverwalk Marketplace four blocks away. The National World War II Museum awaits close by, along with the Contemporary Arts Center and the art galleries of the Warehouse District. The Windsor Court can also arrange private town cars, golf, antiquing, and tours of restaurant kitchens, music clubs, plantations, and the New Orleans Museum of Art in City Park. Stepping across the street, gamblers can win or lose at the city’s one-and-only land casino.

(+) Hotel’s locale just a stroll away from museums, shopping, and entertainment

Dining & Lounge: Windsor Court Hotel

Featuring New Orleans Grill, Polo Lounge, Le Salon, and polished 24-hour room service, the Windsor Court Hotel has all its culinary bases deliciously covered. The newly redecorated New Orleans Grill offers a lovely setting, with plush, circular banquettes and romantic window alcoves that overlook the entrance courtyard. A colorful mural depicts Louisiana scenes inhabited by many New Orleanians of note. A lavish breakfast buffet is presented daily, and dinner is flawlessly served à la carte.

Adjacent to the grill, the Polo Lounge offers a delectable prix-fixe lunch buffet and serves up cocktails and piano music until 1:00 a.m. Friday nights offer varied musical performances. The service was fantastic, and the engaging and accommodating staff, eager to assist guests in any way, impressed me. Wine list by the glass is extensive; single malt scotches, single batch whiskeys, and creative martinis are also served. The lounge is formal but comfortable in the style of an English men’s club and provided efficient and personalized service. Nonsmokers should take note that guests are allowed to smoke, including cigars, in the lounge.

A fashionable and noteworthy pastime for locals and visitors, English high tea is the specialty of Le Salon, which takes 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. reservations on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The fare is a splendid selection of teas and wines, canapés, scones, tea sandwiches, and sweets- -- all accompanied by classical music performed by members of the Louisiana Philharmonic. If it is your desire to dine in-room, the Windsor Court Hotel offers a room service menu with exceptional variety, with both Creole cuisine and standard basics. Your wishes are delivered in record time and served to perfection on the table in your room, set just as it would be at a fine-dining establishment, with tablecloth and all.

(+) Windsor Court Hotel’s fine-dining options and comfortable lounge are popular with New Orleans residents, too
(-) Nonsmokers should take note that guests are allowed to smoke, including cigars, in hotel’s Polo Lounge

Business Services: Windsor Court Hotel

Wireless Internet access in the hotel makes a perfect workplace of one’s own room at the Windsor Court Hotel, or guests may wish to book a business suite on the fourth floor, which puts them close to a well-equipped business center. Here guests will find photocopiers, computers, and personal assistance from 8:30 am to 5 pm.

The fourth-floor business suites, designed especially for business travelers, are equipped with printers, fax machines, and phone lines that can be configured to receive calls direct from outside lines or cell phones. Local and long-distance phone calls are complimentary, as well as an office amenities kit that includes stapler, paper clips, pens, tape, and notepad. Suites feature a spacious living room with desk and dining table, separate bedroom, and a petite kitchen. New Orleans’ vast Convention Center is located six blocks from the hotel.

The meeting rooms have a museum-like quality with elegant artwork, chandeliers, textured wallpaper, lofty windows, and terraces, just as you would find in a grand home in England.

(+) Business suites provide all you need to get the job done