This place is perfectly located a block off Canal Street at the edge of the French Quarter and close to all kinds of transportation -- the St. Charles streetcar, bike share, the highways. The hosts were very easy to reach and very responsive and check-in was a breeze. It's a brand new apartment, established for exclusive use as a tourist room. The hosts definitely don't live there and never have.
It's AirBnB's new business model, and makes me uncomfortable. No longer is the platform mostly used to allow residents to rent out their extra space or space when they travel; instead, it relies on residents converting living units into hotel rooms, taking those units off the housing market and driving up housing costs for locals.
It's perfectly legal; the hosts have secured the necessary local permits to do the conversion. And I have no complaints about the hosts; they're just making a living in a tourist town; and after all, I'm taking advantage of the slightly lower rates for the room. But I do hold the units to a higher standard if they're treating them like a hotel room.
By not living in the unit, the hosts are unaware of certain details that a full-time resident would know. The drapes in the bedroom don't easily open and close, and there aren't enough panels to totally block out the light. The dryer didn't work. There was no way to make coffee except for the Keurig and there weren't enough cups for our 4-day stay. The hosts immediately brought more cups upon request. (Like I said, they were wonderfully responsive and helpful.) There was no sponge for wiping off the counter top. There are two huge monitors in the house but they are only connected to the internet; there is no broadcast TV, so don't expect to be able to watch local news or sports.
And the building was weird, with a mix of tenants and tourists. Only two of the five elevators were operational and they were not kept clean.
The roof deck was gorgeous. The little swimming pool was a nice place to cool off (but too small to swim). The door staff were gracious and helpful like most people in New Orleans.
All in all, it was a fine stay. Despite my complaints, I can totally recommend it to future guests.