Tim & I want to thank you for posting such an informative detailed overall review for travelers to consider when making a choice of where to stay. Thank you for posting this for future travelers. Just for the record...I too recognize and appreciate that Tim is a great asset to Magnolia Mansion. He really knows this city, and is great at arranging tours & restaurant reservations etc for everyone who is interested, & is very accommodating to our guests.

To be very clear, in regards to cities restrictions of serving a Hot Breakfast, we do not have a restaurant at Magnolia Mansion and we do not have a restaurant licence to serve a hot breakfast. Therefore we are limited to serving a Continental Breakfast (with a choice of 2 hot egg, cheese & sausage prepackaged microwaveable breakfast sandwiches). I intentionally did not to even want to attempt to try to compete with all of the amazing restaurants to choose from in this city.

Most people save their calorie intake and room in their tummies for the gourmet meals served up by the great chiefs here in New Orleans. Also, we do leave complimentary snacks out 24/7, as well as fresh filtered water available to refill every one's water bottles when desired. An Ice Bucket is put out daily in the dinning room by the water each afternoon prior to closing the office. During the day, should someone want or need ice, all they have to do is ask us...we are here.

We are thrilled that your stay was delightful in every way. Magnolia Mansion apparently was the right choice for your stay here in New Orleans. I'm glad that you mentioned the themed rooms. I also suggest that all travelers review each room's description and look at the photographs, which are available on our website. I designed each room to have it's own unique theme, so travelers would not feel they are in just another hotel room. I want people to feel as if they have stepped back in time. Each room reflects something original to New Orleans & the south. Different rooms appeal to different tastes. I am also pleased that you appreciated our non smoking, privacy, and other policies. These policies are in place to protect every one's safety as well as this historic property. Many of our guests ask for a copy of our policies to give to their friend and families for when they stay at their home (our policies are available on our website as well). Most of our policies ask people to apply common courtesy and common sense. Again, If you are looking for party central...this is not the place for you. So be very aware of this, unless you have actually rented this property as an event venue, separately from the guest rooms, this is not for you. Magnolia Mansion is known for being a wonderful place to relax and get a wonderful nights sleep, and is not for every one's needs...so travelers please do your homework.

You are absolutely correct regarding the fact that someone is always on property and available to assist during the day when asked, or overnight in case of an emergency. Even if the office is closed or if it is after hours, someone is here

on property. We can always be reached on the emergency cell number provided to each guest for the day of their arrival, it is also given to them again at check in, as well as posted in each of their rooms, and also in the dining room by the phone. If someone needs anything at any time (that can not wait till morning), we can be reached on this emergency cell phone to assist them in some way, if at all possible. So again, thank you for recognizing the difference between doing business as a small private B&B/Boutique Hotel as oppose to a the operations of running a standard Hotel. Many large Hotels are open to the public 24/7, however more & more are changing their staffing hours & check in restrictions.

I am personally happy that you found Magnolia Mansion to be quiet & peaceful throughout your stay. This was one of the reasons I choose to make this an adults-only Boutique Hotel/B&B. It is because I wanted it attract those seeking a quiet romantic getaway. Also because, many of my friends who have kids, have mentioned on different occasions, they too need a weekend of solitude away from all the noise & chaos created by their own children, as well as a break from other people's children. As far as your sightings of our spirited guests that never check out...our resident ghosts, congratulations. They have always been friendly, however some are a little mischievous, and only make their presence known to those they wish to. I'm happy to hear you had a Hauntingly Peaceful & enjoyable stay. We hope you come back to visit us very soon. Wishing you Safe & Happy Travels!

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience with others. We are thrilled you & your Dad enjoyed your stay. Thank you for pointing out that people should read the policies prior to booking. I have them posted on line for people to do just this so they can make the best choice on where to stay. Many people stay here because of our policies. We have many guests who have told us that they love the fact that only registered guest are allowed on this property so they are not disturbed and they feel safe. If a guest would like to have someone stop by & visit them during the day, while the office is open and this has been discussed and previously arranged with the Host, we do our best to accommodate them if at all possible. However, when and only when pre- arranged in advance, can any unregistered guests come on property and they are only allowed in the common areas (parlors, Veranda), and unregistered guests are never allowed in the guestrooms, so as not to disturb our other guests. To many, the obvious reason we have these policies in place for our property, is to insure the safety & privacy that many of our guest are seeking. Magnolia Mansion was designed to appeal to those seeking a romantic & peaceful environment. Many couples who have children, come to here (or a place like this) to get away from their children & have some quiet time to fall in love all over again. This is where you come to get engaged, or celebrate an anniversary, a honeymoon or just for a romantic get away. Regarding the breakfast. I also suggest they read research this, as our menu is our website & posted in other reviews, such as this one. Just a reminder to readers, we are within walking distance to many great cafes & restaurants, however, Magnolia Mansion does not have a restaurant on site. Our breakfast menu is more extensive than was explained in this review. So just to be clear for all of the TripAdvisor readers, so they know in advance, I will list a detailed description of each & every item offered is as follows. We offer the same self serve enhanced Complimentary Continental Breakfast each morning of your stay between 8:30am & 10:30am. This consistent menu offers the following: A Choice of…Coffee, A Selection of Hot Teas, Low Fat Milk, Orange Juice, Fresh Fruit (Apples, Oranges, Banana’s), Assorted WrappedPastries (a choice of a Cheese Danish, Cinnamon Rolls, Chocolate Hazel Biscottie), Assorted Wrapped Breakfast Bars ( Apple, Strawberry, & Blueberry Nutri Grain Bars, Quaker Multi Flavored Granola Bars) , Assorted Packaged Instant Oatmeal, Three Types of Cereal (Raisin Bran, Honey Oats, Cheerios), & Assorted Bagels & English Muffins ( 3 types of breads- plain, wheat & blueberry). Also available upon request, are a choice of two Hot Grab & Go Breakfast Sandwiches. The choice is either an Egg, Cheese, & Sausage on Croissant, or an Egg Whites (only), Cheese & Turkey Sausage on a Wheat English Muffin. However, be aware that you must ask to have one made for you, as it says on the Menu placed on the Breakfast table 24/7. I love my eggs & biscuits as much as this traveler does, and I have found this Breakfast Sandwich to be very satisfying to not only myself, but also our guests. It gives them just enough to hold their appetite at bay until they get to their favorite restaurant for lunch or Brunch. We do hope you & your father come back to stay with us & enjoy what you did enjoy & love about Magnolia Mansion. Happy Traveling to you, until we see you again.

We want to thank you for posting this review on behalf of you & your traveling companion. I’m glad that the area and the communal spaces were appreciated, as it is a great location for travelers, as well as a beautiful venue for weddings and receptions. However, there are many Honeymoon couples who have stayed at Magnolia Mansion may seriously disagree with his Honeymoon comment based on their personal experience.

Tim remembers this couple very well and made notes in their reservations due to several uncomfortable issues that he experienced with them on several encounters, as they arrived to check in at 2am in the morning. The next morning Tim made tour reservations for them to do a city tour. They were very business & not very talkative or pleasant to Tim during this process.

These reservations through an online 3rd party popular reservation site, as many people do in today’s online world. We always contact the reservation system that each guest books through to request all of their contact information, so that we can get in touch with them to send them an email & call them prior to their arrival to confirm that all is in order, their arrival time, also that they have no children or pets, as all of our guests must be 21 years or older, and to see if they are celebrating anything special. Sometimes, we do not receive this information from the 3rd party reservation source until the day of the guest arrival…and then it’s too late to contact them as they are in transit. Sometimes, we never receive the information at all. It is the traveler’s responsibility to contact the property they have chosen and personally confirm all details of their reservation, stay & desired information.

My advice to everyone who also books anything online is the following! Always, always, always visit the property’s official website and do your homework, read their policies and restrictions to see if this is the right choice for you personally. In addition to this, call and contact the property directly (Bed & Breakfast, Inn, Motel or Hotel) and to let them know if you are celebrating something special, give them the cell number you are traveling with, confirm their Check In & Check Out times (arrange prior should you need an early or late Check In) and confirm details of anything that is really important to you as a traveler and guest. All Bed & Breakfasts, Inns, Motels or Hotels have different policies and this is their right to do so. Smaller B&B’s & Inn’s, as well as larger Hotels, have Check In Restrictions. This is not unusual at all, neither is the age restriction, all properties have their reasons for doing this. Magnolia Mansion has our hours of office operation & check in policies posted very clearly on our website.

Magnolia Mansion is not for everyone, as it is a unique Historic property and is for those 21 years or older that are looking for a hauntingly romantic, private and peaceful experience. Our Check In time is between 2pm & 6:30pm. We arrange early Check Ins without any additional fees or costs, provided we have been contacted and have been properly informed, in order to have their room & paperwork ready upon their arrival. If a room is not ready for Check In yet, then we gladly hold luggage, and give the earliest possible time for Guest’s to return and get settled. We always suggest a nearby eatery for them to wait & enjoy themselves or, if they prefer just go for a nice walk through the Garden District or on a walking tour, or they can sit and wait in parlors and read through coffee table books provided.

However, all arrivals after 6:30pm are subject to a $25 cash late fee (per reservation) upon Check In, and special arrangements must be made in advance. Also, all arrivals after 10pm are subject to a $50 cash late Check In fee. Magnolia Mansion has these policies in place for several reasons. Because we are a small property and operate with a very small staff, we do not have 24/7 office/front desk hours and we are up very early each day to set out the complimentary Continental Breakfast (I will address this further on), as clearly shown on our website.

Also, Magnolia Mansion maintains a very peaceful quiet and romantic atmosphere and late arrivals can sometimes be very disruptive, as some folks like to go to Bourbon St. and celebrate their arrival into the Big Easy, if you know what I mean… before Checking In. It is best always Check In before you start toasting the night away.

The last reason is a safety issue. Many B&B’s, Inn’s, Motels, & even some Hotels, have limited Check In times. Some will not allow anyone to Check In after 7pm or 8pm period. This policy is becoming more popular with hospitality properties around the country, due to crime and staffing cutbacks. Many Hotels & other accommodations in Palm Springs, for example, and other cities that have smaller properties have started this policy. I know, because I’ve stayed at some several times. I always like to see what someone else is doing that I may or may not consider implementing as a procedure or policy at Magnolia Mansion. Also, be aware that some accommodation properties will not hold your reservation after a certain time, if you have not checked in by then. You could show up & they may have given your room to someone else because you were considered a “No Show”. So again, do your homework and take personal responsibility for contacting & confirming details directly with the property of your choice. Make sure your reservation in order and you have are completely informed of all of the properties policies, & give them your cell phone to contact you if needed, etc.

Now as far as the comment about their friend, which was …“Upon leaving, a friend was taking over our room and she was treated very rudely and wasn't allowed into the hotel, and I have yet to receive an explanation for her poor treatment.”

This will be a very detailed explanation that will hopefully answer his question as well as educate others. First of all this couple checked in on a Friday and the gentleman left on Sunday, while the lady remained. Over the weekend that they were both here, neither of them mentioned anything about him leaving or a friend arriving to stay here, at any time. It was only when this couple was rushing out the door on Sunday to take him to the Airport, that the woman informs Tim that she would be having a friend come and stay with her. Our guests did not give him the name of her friend, nor a time we were to expect her, nor a contact number to reach her friend. Because our Guest was aware of our Check In procedures and other Mansion Policies, it sounded to Tim and as he understood it, our Guest would be personally be bringing the friend back with her, so she could Check In and sign all of the required registration paperwork.

As it turned out, this was a clear lack of communication between Tim and our Guest, and therefore it lead to an uncomfortable situation for all concerned. The friend of our Guest arrived after 6:30 pm on a Sunday (By the way, Tim did not ask for nor collect the $25 late fee from the friend). Because her friends name was not given to us by our Guest, and she was not on the property at her friends time of arrival, nor had our Guests notified her 3rd party reservation source that we were to expect another guest under her reservation details, by law and our agreements with the 3rd party reservation party and our understanding of this, we are not allowed to give a key to someone’s room or let them check in.

When the friend of our Guest arrived, she was very tired. Tim invited her in to sit down. She chose to wait in the parlors and common areas until our (registered) Guest could be reached by phone, which took approximately an hour. Once this was done she was properly Checked In and given a Key. She was very nice and was not treated rudely by Tim in any way. Tim simply could not give her a key to a room that was not in her registered in her name. Due to the fact that we never received any documentation in writing from our registered Guest nor from the source of her original reservation. Upon Check Out, Tim held the bags for the ladies while they went out walking around. They later came back to Magnolia Mansion to pick up their bags. Tim carried their luggage down to the Taxi Cab and both Ladies headed off to the airport. Upon departure, the friend of our Guest was very nice to Tim. However, the original Guest remained very businesslike and extremely distant.

As for our infamous Continental Breakfast…again, this information is on detailed on our website & one of the things we have been heavily criticized for previously, in some online reviews. We are not known for having a fabulous Breakfast. It is however, a substantial Self-Serve Complimentary Continental Breakfast served between 8:30am & 10:30am consisting of the following: A Choice of…Coffee, A Selection of Hot Teas, Low Fat Milk, Orange Juice, Fresh Fruit (Apples, Oranges, Banana’s), Assorted Wrapped Pastries, Assorted Wrapped Breakfast Bars, Assorted Packaged Oatmeal, Three Types of Cereal, Assorted Bagels & English Muffins ( 3 types of breads) & also available upon request are Hot Jimmy Dean Breakfast Grab & Go Sandwiches (2 choices). Either an Egg, Cheese, & Sausage on Croissant, or an Egg Whites (only), Cheese & Turkey Sausage on a Wheat English Muffin.

Now, having described in detail our Breakfast selections and to be very clear, we do not run down to a convenience store to buy our wrapped pastry! I go to Sam’s & buy in bulk like most small businesses. The pastries are to remain wrapped (as are the jellies, butter, & cream cheese), as this is required by our health department (as in most cities), when self-serve meals are provided, as we are not a restaurant and do not have a restaurant license. Again, this is a health and safety issue (& just common sense). If breakfast is high on your list for what you want included in your traveling experience, then I suggest a standard hotel with a restaurant license or a Bed & Breakfast that is highly praised for their full hot breakfast. We all have different priorities when choosing a place to stay. So, if you want your fruit peeled for you, your cream cheese placed on a plate for you & pastries fresh from the oven…then Magnolia Mansion is not for you. At least you know your fruit is fresh when you peel it yourself…Just a thought!

If these travelers had researched this property, and what we provide and are known & not known for, and had they read all of the information that is provided in so many areas on line for them to see. They would have known this and made another choice regarding accommodations.

NOTE: Another reason we don’t provide full hot breakfast, is that most people come to town to go to New Orleans gourmet restaurants for a Jazz Brunch, Lunch or Dinner. They stay out late, sleep in & only want a little something to lite to eat to hold them over till they get to their restaurant of choice. Most people are out late at night having a good time & like a good quiet night’s sleep so they can go on tours & have fun eating & playing through this wonderful city called New Orleans

Magnolia Mansion is appreciated for its beautiful ambiance, privacy, tranquil & romantic atmosphere, great location and historic architecture. Not so much, because our Continental Breakfast! I hope this helps others make a better choice, when considering their stay somewhere, so they will make a choice that is just the right experience for them. Safe & Happy Traveling to All!!!