Before I take you on a little walk through the house I want to publicly thank Jeff and his team, especially Kevin, for their communication from booking through departure. Their responses, welcoming note, reference materials, and local guidance - we were there over the 4th of July and Kevin let us know about the fireworks at Crescent Park - made us feel at home and made our family gathering the best of the six we've had since we started gathering in 2010. It'll be extremely difficult to do better. If The Mazant were just a normal place to stay Jeff and his team's service would have made it exceptional, but The Mazant is better than normal.
The Mazant is a jewel within a jewel. The Bywater neighborhood is a vibrant piece of New Orleans just a mile or so from the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans. The neighborhood sparkles with the quirky charisma that is New Orleans.
As you approach The Mazant you know you're in for a real treat. When you're a block away you see the hedge and know you're just about at your home away from home. Through the side gate off of Burgundy you catch a glimpse of a giant oak shading a beautifully kept yard and a path that splits from a couple of side entrances to take you to wonderful, large front porch set with four rocking chairs perfect for a relaxing morning cup of coffee or evening read. Or, if you choose to follow the hedge around the corner to the Mazant entrance you'll walk through a similar gate up a few painted brick steps to a welcoming porch, gas lamps, and a front door with a glimpse of a beautifully renovated and maintained front hall and stairway leading to the second floor. You type in the code to unlock the door and as soon as you step inside you'll feel more at home than your previous interactions with Jeff and his team had already made you feel.
There's so much to explore so you start by taking to beautiful stairwell upstairs to find six bedrooms of various sizes, two bathrooms, and a laundry room. You also find access to the upstairs balcony which has comfortable seating and a beautiful view of ships on the Mississippi river and the local Bywater skyline. Heading back downstairs you can walk through the comfortably appointed living room or the fantastic dining room to get to a hallway that divides the first floor into a front half and back half. On either end of this roomy hall are large french doors which takes you back to the yard mentioned before or out to the pool, spa, and surrounding patio with pool chairs, couches, and outdoor seating for guests. If you continue along this side of the house you walk through an archway trellis between the pool and a wonderful shaded spot with a hammock and another gathering space set around a gas brazier for cool winter evenings.
Heading back inside and into the back half of The Mazant you find some closets and drawers filled with board and yard games - a good supply just in case you forgot your own. There's also a little place by the window to sit and read or take a catnap in the afternoon sun. Just before you enter the spacious kitchen there's another small bathroom off of this hallway. The kitchen has an additional dining table and counter-top seating area. There's also enough counter space around the six burner stove and island sink to allow for multiple people to prep large meals while others hang out and chat. Two refrigerators - one for beverages and the other for food, lots of pantry, and a wonderfully complete collection of cookware and serving-ware give ample opportunity for an ideal dining experience. And cleanup is easy with ample trash and recycling, a dishwasher, and large sink for rinsing dishes, pots, and pans.
For those keeping count, the last two bedrooms can be found to either side of the kitchen along with the two remaining bathrooms, and out of the back door is another patio with a grill and dining area for 10+.
If we gather in New Orleans again The Mazant will be our first choice. Location, ambiance, and the love and care that have gone into restoring and maintaining this amazing space make me feel lucky that we had the opportunity to stay for a week and become a little part of its history.