We had the good fortune to stay in Pat and Greg's lovely home, the Bougainvillea House, for a short time at the end of March, 2019. Pat and Greg themselves are as gracious and friendly a couple as you would hope to find, and helpful and generous with their time. On our first night, Pat waited up until 3:00am because our arrival was inadvertently delayed for four hours, to welcome us warmly, show us briefly around the apartment, and give us the keys, despite an impending 8:00am appointment.
The house itself is almost 200 years old, and is located in the heart of the French Quarter. It borders two sides of a quiet and peaceful inner courtyard, open to the air and set with tables and patio furniture. Pat and Greg have beautifully renovated the house and tastefully furnished and decorated its interior spaces, which have a comfortable and inviting feel. The house is within easy walking distance to Jackson Square, its vendors, markets, musicians, and the Mississippi River. The surrounding streets have many excellent restaurants, and many fine and/or funky drinking establishments.
We stayed in an apartment called the Paddlewheeler, a welcoming three-room suite, including a full kitchen, plus a full bath, all very nicely furnished and decorated. The unit is on the ground floor with its own entrance which opens into the previously mentioned courtyard, through which is a door to the street. The owners have thoughtfully stocked the kitchen with snacks, crackers and cheese, a full pound of good regular coffee, plus a pound of chicory coffee if you desire, cream, sugar, teas, etc. A very comfortable bed with abundant pillows. Pat and Greg live on the second level of the house directly above the Paddlewheeler apartment; no sound is noticeable between the two units. There are two other guest units attached to the house.
Pat and Greg invited us up to their very nicely restored home for breakfast on our second day there. Pat had crafted a delicious breakfast, and while we enjoyed the meal around a tastefully set table, she and Greg fascinated and entertained us with stories of the house, of the French Quarter, of how they each came to be in New Orleans, including some absolutely harrowing tales of surviving Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
All in all, we had an absolutely pleasant and delightful experience at Bougainvillea House, which we would gladly repeat. Our only regret is that we didn't plan to stay longer.
Rebecca and Douglas Keith
Camas, WA