The hotels of New Orleans have welcomed countless visitors in a history stretching back to the eighteenth century. From humble boardinghouse beginnings to the grand hotels of the nineteenth century and through to the modern properties that stand today, hotel life in New Orleans has reflected the city's own story. From political scandal and celebrity intrigue to events that shaped the landscape of the entire country, the story of New Orleans's hotels is an endlessly engaging one. Travel writer Paul Oswell checks into the great hotels of the past and the present, telling the story of the properties that stood the test of time, as well as those that didn't. Using city records, newspaper archives, vintage travel guides and anecdotal stories in the best New Orleans tradition, he brings each one to life and in the process fleshes out the story of the city's hospitality industry and, by extension, its lively, fascinating history.
Paul Oswell is a writer and travel journalist. He was born in Chorley, Lancashire, England. He has written for a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines since 1999, reporting from all seven continents (yes, including Antarctica). He has been based in New Orleans since 2011, and has been visiting the city since 2001. He has edited several guidebooks to the city, including work for Fodor's and Dorling Kindersley and he is the author of the guide "New Orleans For Free" (2014).