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Which hotel is best, Ritz-Carlton vs. JW Marriott New Orleans? We have already reviewed whether Ritz-Carlton vs. JW Marriott is best overall. Generally, Ritz-Carltons are better hotels, but there are exceptions to this rule.
Now, we specifically review these two properties in New Orleans. There is a Ritz-Carlton, a JW Marriott, and a Four Seasons in New Orleans, so you are spoiled for choice for luxury hotels. We have compared the which is best, Four Seasons vs. Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. The Four Seasons New Orleans wins, but both properties are luxurious and are worth considering.
Book your stay at any of these hotels via our luxury travel concierge to get resort credit, free breakfast, free room upgrades (subject to availability), free welcome gift, and your usual Marriott Bonvoy points. It costs nothing to ask us for a quote, and we can usually help you squeeze some extra value from your stay.
We have outlined the best JW Marriott hotels, and best Ritz-Carlton hotels in case you want to delve further into each hotel brand.
1. Loyalty
Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott are high-end brands under the Marriott umbrella. They share this elite spot with BVLGARI, EDITION, and The Luxury Collection. These brands occupy a 5-star luxury category, with room quality and size, service, restaurants, and an ultra-luxurious setting. Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott are both part of the Marriott Bonvoy brand loyalty program.
It’s worth mentioning that these loyalty benefits are nowhere near as good as the benefits you get by booking via luxury travel concierge agents. If you book with our concierge agents, you will also get all your usual Marriott Bonvoy points during your stay.
Our travel agency Stars partnership with Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, and JW Marriott hotels means you will also get brilliant free benefits, usually including breakfast for two, prioritized room upgrades (subject to availability), hotel credit, and more if you book with one of our agents. Our deals are almost always better than booking directly on the hotel website for all these brands.
2. Style
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans feels more traditional than the JW Marriott, which is located in a modern blocky building. The Ritz-Carlton has the feel of a plantation mansion with hints of greenery in the creamy decor that tie in the gorgeous courtyard garden which sits in the center of the hotel.
This garden offers a hidden restbite from the frenetic streets of New Orleans. At night, this area is lit by fairy lights. It’s a magical place to sit out on a warm evening. The rest of the hotel is immaculate and has old-school charm.
The building was originally built in 1908 as the Beaux Arts Maison Blanche department store, which means the hotel is housed in one of the city’s most iconic buildings. Its 15 floors became a hotel in 2000, and the historical façade remains.
The front doors open to the hubbub of Canal Street, and a third-floor lobby feels intimate and luxurious. One of the most noteworthy and fun features of this hotel is its in-house jazz trumpeter, Jeremy Davenport, who performs in the cocktail lounge at weekends. This brings a joyous atmosphere to the hotel, and it’s worth popping into the hotel for this event, whether you’re staying or not.
There isn’t much individual style to the JW Marriott New Orleans. It feels like a generic city JW Marriott, with a modern exterior and muted inoffensive but uninteresting decor. This hotel feels like a business hotel, and although it is most certainly luxury rather than budget, it could be anywhere.
3. Location
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, is found right in the middle of the French Quarter, set within a 1908 Beaux-Arts building. It is in the center of everything. Even the streetcar lines are right outside its front doors.
The JW Marriott New Orleans is 3 minutes walk from the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Both locations are very close, but the Ritz-Carlton is in the center of the French Quarter, whereas the JW Marriott is on the edge of the district, so it is not as well located.
4. Size
JW Marriott hotels tend to be larger than Ritz-Carlton hotels. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is smaller than the 501 room JW Marriott. The Ritz-Carlton is a smaller, more intimate hotel.
5. Rooms
The rooms at the Ritz-Carlton are classy, immaculate, and generous in size. Views from the rooms are over the city and the courtyard. Many club level rooms have wooden floors and deliciously thick rugs. They have access to the excellent Ritz-Carlton club lounge.
We think the best rooms at the hotel are the balcony suites, which are on the top floor and have a king bed, sofa bed, and a separate sitting area. The views across the city are great from these rooms.
Rooms at JW Marriott New Orleans are a decent size but are JW Marriott in style and have little personality.
6. Pool and Gym
The spa at the Ritz-Carlton and the spa at the Four Seasons are the best spas in New Orleans. There’s a small indoor spa pool at the Ritz-Carlton. At the JW Marriott, there’s a modern and generic rooftop pool, which is actually quite nice. So, the Ritz-Carlton wins for its spa, but the JW Marriott has a larger pool if you want to go for a swim or lounge in the sunshine.
7. Club Lounge
Ritz-Carlton club lounges are some of the best club lounges in any city. We have outlined the best Ritz-Carlton club lounges. These club lounges cannot be accessed with high loyalty status. At Ritz-Carlton hotels, you must book a club room to get access to their club lounges. Ritz-Carlton New Orleans has an excellent club lounge, the best club lounge in New Orleans.
Most JW Marriott hotels also have club lounges, and if you have top-tier Marriott Bonvoy status, you get access to JW Marriott club lounges for free, but they are not as good as the Ritz-Carlton club lounges.
Platinum, Titanium, and Ambassador Elite Marriott Bonvoy members have access to Concierge/Executive/Club/Signature Club/M Club lounges at Marriott properties, including JW Marriott, Marriott, Renaissance, or Sheraton hotels, and they can also bring one guest to the lounge as long as the guest is staying in the same room. At the time of writing, you get Platinum Elite status after staying 50 nights a year at a Marriott property. To get Titanium Elite, you need to stay 75 nights each year.
The club lounge at the JW Marriott New Orleans is very good. You can read our review of the club lounge at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London to see what we have experienced in a JW Marriott club lounge.
8. Family Facilities
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is more family-friendly than the JW Marriott because of its excellent club lounge and skew towards leisure travelers.
Some JW Marriotts are used as conference hotels that can be noisy and boisterous with complementary alcohol at corporate events. This is particularly true for JW Marriott hotels in cities, so do check whether there is a conference planned before choosing to stay at a JW Marriott with your family.
Both the Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott Club lounges in New Orleans are brilliant for young and older children due to the snacks that are provided throughout the day and the extra space to escape. The Club Lounge is better at the Ritz-Carlton, but the rooftop pool may be preferable for families at the JW Marriott.
If you want the best brand for family-friendly luxury hotels, it is usually best at Four Seasons or some Belmond properties like the Hotel Cipriani.
9. Price
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is almost always more expensive than the JW Marriott New Orleans, so while the Ritz-Carlton is the best hotel, you may feel that the JW Marriott offers better value.
For a more reasonable Ritz-Carlton or JW Marriott stay, check out our review of some of the cheapest Ritz-Carlton hotels, and the cheapest Marriott hotels.
10. Conclusion
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is better than the JW Marriott New Orleans. It has a great jazz club and a fabulous atmosphere, but the JW is cheaper and has a nice rooftop pool, so you may prefer the JW Marriott.
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Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.