Zak and his lovely wife Naz made us feel incredibly welcome. They are gracious, warm people, as is the entire staff at Silk Road, which is the excellent Indian-Creole fusion restaurant downstairs. Ganesh, the chef is incredibly talented and my boyfriend swears his Gumbo is the best we had in the city. It is a must try while you are here. Renee, who is a server during the day, is about as sweet natured and helpful as can be- we visited with her almost every day in the restaurant and she just exuded kindness. I felt as though we were saying goodbye to long lost family the day we left. But the good news is, we will definitely be back to visit Balcony Guest House/Silk Road. The room itself is a very simple space, with nice light- it was a great place to come back and recuperate between outings. You couldn't ask for a more convenient location in the Marigny- with Frenchman just a few blocks away, and the fabulous Mimi's just across the street! I liked that we were situated in a way that the Quarter, Frenchman, and the Bywater were all easily walkable. Also, there's a great convenience store right up the street called Mardi Gras Zone- that has all the coconut water, kombucha and healthy treats a traveller could want to rehydrate themselves after a night of indulgence. I could not have been more pleased with our stay and I look forward to visiting with all of these fine folks again the next time we are in town.