Shannon was a wonderful hostess; she made herself easy to get in touch with and left a binder that included a thoughtful and wide-ranging list of local attractions. Bywater is relaxed and snugly located: close enough to the French Quarter (under $10 by Lyft and worth walking to in nice weather) that it is easily accessible, but far enough off the beaten path that one can come away feeling they have experienced more of NOLA than the Bourbon Street cliches (not that those aren't cliches worth engaging).
Although the railroad-style layout can be a little confusing at first, the bathroom has a Blanche Dubois-style elegance and lots of natural light, and the rest of the furnishings are a delicate balance between the Old South and modern urban decor. Everything was very clean and comfortable. I was slightly disappointed, though, not to hear a peep from the stray cats that, as Shannon's notes indicate, are every New Orleanian's neighbors.