Brian was a welcoming host and made my stay hassle-free. His house and the room I stayed in were impeccably clean. The neighborhood is interesting.

If you've never been to this city before, prepare to be surprised. Brian likely feels more at ease having lived there for some time. His house is on the edge of the parts of New Orleans that have been partially restored v/s the parts that remain abandoned 10 years after Katrina. I felt uneasy about the area when I first arrived. Having said that, I experienced zero safety issues, and there were a few solo female travelers staying in the general area who seemed to not have to worry too much either.

There's a few minor things Brian could improve in future. Some manner of bath rug would help as the floor tiles were freezing. I could've used a warmer thermostat setting or an extra comforter. The code for the lockbox with the keys ought to be shared in advance.

Brian recommended biking into the city as traffic would be bad during Mardi Gras. I did not do so as the 4 mile drive did not reassure me about the "bikeability" of the route. Traffic was avoidable by heading to Tulane, which is a mile walk north of the French Quarter & a cheap parking option. The rain & cold winds also made driving a better choice. Uber & Lyft aren't available in New Orleans, just old-fashioned taxis. Neither is GrubHub for when you've got the munchies. So just be sure to eat at one of the many great food options in mid-town, the French Quarter or Bywater.

All in all, I would recommend staying with Brian to a young solo travelers and couples who don't need too many creature comforts, need a relatively affordable place to stay and are willing to see the seedy underbelly of the city and appreciate the ongoing impact of Katrina rather than skim over the bad parts.