Soniat House

I recently stayed at Soniat for the 6th time in the last 5yrs, and I'm so sorry to report that the hotel has really gone down hill over the last few years. In many ways Soniat is analogous to NOLA itself - in both the good and the bad. The aesthetics here are gorgeous, from the beautifully and uniquely decorated rooms (all are filled with antiques and different from one another) to the darling courtyards with fountains and candles. No where looks or feels like this place, just like NOLA. And the location is absolutely perfect. But on the this last stay the negatives really started to outweigh the positives. The place needs a facelift. The bathrooms in particular are feeling shabby, with chipped paint and fixtures, threadbare towels, ripped, low-quality shower curtains and low water pressure. There was a pervasive smell of mildew and mustiness throughout our rooms that was so strong that we had to wash our clothes twice upon our return home to remove it. In fairness, it did rain for days while we were there - perhaps the smell is unavoidable in an old structure when it pours, but regardless it's very unpleasant. Facilities are in desperate need of new a new HVAC system (which might help with the smell) - it's loud and unreliable. The service was charming if a bit slow and confused (NOLA). Acquiring their famous and delicious biscuits within an hour or housekeeping within a 3hrs was a serious challenge. I so wish the place were up to the standards of years past, when it was pretty close to perfect. It's still a magical and special place, but a lot of the luxury and comfort have faded. I sure hope they invest in some upkeep. In the meantime, I'm sadly going to start exploring other options in NOLA.