New Orleans has long been a top holiday travel destination, and one thing keeps visitors coming back

New Orleans has long been a top holiday travel destination, and one thing keeps visitors coming back to the Big Easy year after year: the uniquely New Orleans holiday traditions happening in the best French Quarter hotels . From the little white owl that appears in the Hotel Monteleone 's lobby grandfather clock to the naughty-and-nice holiday burlesque show at Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta , 'tis the season to celebrate in New Orleans hotels .
No one knows who places the small white stuffed owl in the grandfather clock in the Hotel Monteleone travel poster hawaii lobby, but hotel staff say the owl mysteriously appears inside the locked clock every holiday season, and disappears when the holidays are over. The owl was originally an ornament on one of the hotel's Christmas trees about 15 years ago, and has re-appeared every holiday season since. The Monteleone travel poster hawaii recently decided on a name for the owl and will reveal it on the hotel s Facebook page .
The historic Carousel Bar inside the Monteleone has re-opened travel poster hawaii after a month-long renovation. travel poster hawaii Check out the new-and-improved digs and ask for the bar's off-menu travel poster hawaii holiday cocktails: the Joyous Noel (Absolut Mandarin, Grand Marnier and orange juice) and Papa's Nightcap (Bailey s Irish Cream, Frangelico and dark roast coffee travel poster hawaii ).
New Orleans area school choirs will be caroling in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily through December 16th, and the French Quarter hotel's holiday tea will be held held on December 10 and December 17. Kids can meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, travel poster hawaii Rudolph and take home a miniature Monte the Lion, immortalized in the children's book Monte the Lion , published for the hotel's 125th anniversary. Monte is in good company – Truman Capote claimed to have been born in the Hotel Monteleone, and his A Christmas Memory is a southern lit classic. The Monteloene is one of only three hotels in the country travel poster hawaii designated as a literary landmark.
travel poster hawaii You'll find plenty of naughty on Bourbon Street during the holidays (okay, travel poster hawaii every day), but there's also a touch of nice: on December 23, Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse inside the Royal Sonesta will host Tease the Season, a burlesque revue with Trixie Minx featuring travel poster hawaii holiday music and, we're guessing, a different kind of joy to the world. travel poster hawaii Special guests include travel poster hawaii Ms. Perle Noire (pictured above) and crooner Debbie travel poster hawaii Davis. Ms. Minx s show includes a tassel twirling, dreidel-spinning number as a nod to her Jewish heritage. The show starts at midnight.
For family-friendly fun, the Royal Sonesta is also hosting travel poster hawaii Royal Teddy Bear Teas daily December 16 – 23. Kids can dance and sing with the Sugarplum Fairy, Frosty, Rudolph, and the Royal Teddy Bear. The Royal Soneasta has also commissioned a Royal Teddy Bear Ornament, with net proceeds benefitting Children's travel poster hawaii Hospital. (If you need a boost while you're holiday shopping in the French Quarter, head to PJ's Coffee Shop in the hotel for a Peppermint Mocha Latte.)
The Roosevelt is the granddaddy of New Orleans hotel holiday mingling, with its famed Waldorf travel poster hawaii Wonderland lobby and gingerbread village of iconic New Orleans restaurants, nevermind the warm glow of patrons sipping cocktails in the Sazerac Bar. This year, "Mad Men" star, Big Easy Style author and New Orleans native travel poster hawaii Bryan Batt threw the switch lighting the Wonderland and led the crowd in an impromptu rendition of "Jingle Bells."  Batt said that as a child, he couldn't travel poster hawaii wait for decorations and lights to spring up along Canal Street. "I grew up here, and [the Roosevelt] was the place to go. My grandmother would always have a family dinner at the Sazerac. I thought that was the coolest thing," Batt said. "My favorite memory was coming here because you weren't travel poster hawaii looking at anything behind glass. You were living it; you were enjoying it all together."
Those hoping to rub elbows with costumed Jackson Square carolers and living history characters have a great place to spot them in the lobby of the Bourbon Orleans, a favorite French Quarter hotel located behind St. Louis Cathedral. travel poster hawaii With a meal at Roux, you can park for free (no small feat in the French Quarter ). The hotel will also host a Brunch with Santa and His Elves on December 11th and 18th.