Concierge.com's insider take:

The much-lauded 324-room Windsor Court Hotel epitomizes New Orleans luxury while playing freely with disparate aesthetics. Completed in 1984, the Windsor Court transports design cues from Windsor Castle and other grand English country manors into a modern architectural space. Prints and paintings of equestrians and wig-wearing 18th-century nobles abound—even in the elevators—and original oils by Reynolds and Gainsborough hang in the first- and second-floor lobbies. A traditional afternoon tea is served in Le Salon, and the Polo Club Lounge, with its dark wood and resident piano player, feels like an old-time gentlemen's club. Eighty percent of the rooms are suites; the standard junior offers plenty of acreage and a kitchenette but lacks the polish that its reputation (and premium price) implies. The pop-up television at the foot of the king bed is a fun touch, but its oversize mirrored enclosure seems clunky and dated. The hotel was recently sold by the Orient-Express group to a local ownership team that has promised renovations; we hope they make improvements without sacrificing the atmosphere.