Terrell House: A Elegant Bed and Breakfast in the Heart of New Orleans

Two or three miles west of the French Quarter of New Orleans, a few blocks south of St. Charles Street, and very close to the Garden District, lays Terrell House, a wonderful bread and breakfast centrally located for the discerning visitor to New Orleans.

Terrell House was originally built by a wealthy cotton broker, Richard Terrell, in the 1850s in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. The main house in three stories high, built of stucco over brick, and besides several ornate rooms contains a dining room and parlor for the relaxation of guests. There is also a carriage house with more rooms. Terrell House is tastefully decorated with English and American antiques. The whole surrounds a quiet courtyard, at the center of which is a bubbling fountain.

All the rooms, two in the main house and three in the carriage house, are decorated in period style, yet have modern conveniences. These include cable TV, wireless internet connection, hairdryers, irons and ironing boards. Each room has a private bath with a shower. We found the bed in our room to be quite comfortable, albeit high off the floor for someone of short stature.

The service at Terrell House, based on a recent visit by this reviewer, is nothing less than impeccable. The proprietor, Linda, offers a kind of old world style, charming service that one would expect of such an establishment in New Orleans.

An even better recommendation is that, unlike at many bed and breakfast establishments, one gets a proper breakfast every morning of one's stay. One morning this consisted of a fruit cup, a large score permeated with golden raisins, toast, orange juice, and coffee. On the second morning of our stay, instead of the scone, there were scrambled eggs, permeated with garlic, green onions, and celery.

Parking is available along a side street at Terrell House. There are bus stops going east and west within easy walking distance of the bed and breakfast, but fair warning that public transportation in New Orleans remains somewhat unreliable Post Katrina as of this writing.