We rented GiGi's two places on St. Charles for Mardi Gras, and honestly, it couldn't have been better. Almost every parade you want to see passes right in front of your balcony. You want to join the crowd and get some beads from the floats? Its an easy run downstairs. Too tired from the last 20 parades? Just run back upstairs and relax on teh balcony, where you can see everything.
Plus, the apartment was amazing. Clean, well appointed, relaxing, and comfortable. A 20 min walk to the French Quarter, with a great pizza place literally downstairs. We could not have asked for a better place, location, or time.