The Royal Sonesta New Orleans

Our wedding at The Royal Sonesta New Orleans was absolute perfection, and our family truly cannot stop talking about it! The culinary experience was a massive highlight, delivering incredibly delicious, high-quality food that felt like an absolute steal for the price. The open bar kept the energy high with drinks flowing seamlessly all night, set against the backdrop of the hotel’s absolutely beautiful and regal decor. What truly elevated our weekend was the exceptional, deeply attentive service; every single staff member—from the welcoming doorman and lobby team to the bellman—went above and beyond. Our event coordinator, Taylor Van Ness, and my incredible bridal personal assistant ensured that every single detail flowed beautifully without a hitch. We wrapped up the weekend enjoying the incredible jazz club right on-site, making it a flawless, magical destination experience from start to finish!

I cannot say enough wonderful things about the French Quarter Royal Sonesta — the setting, the amenities with the jazz club the coffee house, the wonderful restaurant the fabulous pool with pool bar the lobby where people can hang out and meet it was just the most excellent place to host a destination wedding. But even more than that, the people that work at this hotel are all the very best kind of people — helpful cheerful smart from the bellmen to the front desk folks and most especially I thank the catering department all the chefs and servers were terrific. The food was kept hot. It was plentiful. It was delicious. We had the wedding in the Fleur de Lis room w adjoining patio which was the perfect setting. Most of all, I have to thank our AMAZING event manager Taylor Van Ness - what a pro, what a doll!! So smart and organized and pro active, she went way above and beyond to help me with pre event details with the room block and tote bags and our suppliers. Taylor made me feel secure that I’d made the best choice in selecting the Royal Sonesta for our wedding.

We can't say enough wonderful things about Taylor, our hotel wedding block coordinator at the Royal Sonesta! From the moment we reached out to reserve a block of rooms for our wedding guests, Taylor was responsive, kind, and incredibly organized. She made the entire process feel effortless, even though we know how much work goes on behind the scenes.

What stood out most was Taylor’s attention to detail and genuine care for our experience. She made sure our guests were well taken care of every step of the way—answering questions, managing last-minute changes, and coordinating welcome bags with such warmth and grace.

Our guests absolutely loved the Royal Sonesta. They raved about the comfort, location, and how easy everything was. And Taylor made sure our bridal suite was set up perfectly for the big day—fully stocked with steamers, mirrors, and everything we needed for hair and makeup. It was such a thoughtful touch that made getting ready feel calm and luxurious.

Taylor went above and beyond to make our wedding weekend smooth and stress-free. She was always quick to respond, proactive in communication, and truly a joy to work with. It felt like we had a friend in our corner who genuinely wanted our weekend to be as magical as we did.

If you're lucky enough to work with Taylor, know you're in the very best hands. She’s an absolute gem, and we’re so grateful for everything she did to make our big day unforgettable.

The Royal Sonesta hosted our Welcome Party and our Wedding. The staff there is absolutely AMAZING! Taylor Van Ness is the most Proficient, Professional, Pristine, Personable, Sweet, Kind, Problem Solving Event host EVER! Maya the catering host was INCREDIBLE! We will definitely use Royal Sonesta again! Thanks y’all!

We got married at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans in July 2024. Everyone at the venue was so easy to work with and the wedding day was absolutely perfect! It was so elegant and the staff was very professional. There isn’t a thing I would’ve changed. So many people told us it was the best wedding they ever attended! And the pictures of our ceremony around the courtyard fountain were breathtaking. I would 100% recommend this venue to anyone looking for a wedding or other event.

We hosted our daughter's wedding with 140 guests, accommodating them in 45 rooms at the hotel. Our stay was highlighted by the luxurious 3-bedroom Governor's suite, conveniently located by the poolside. While the lighting was a tad dim, the bathrooms were excellent, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ambiance of the bar, which was perfect for entertaining our guests.

From the moment we checked in until our departure, our experience was exceptional. The Desire Oyster bar, PJ's, LeBooze, and Revolution became our favorite spots, thanks to the outstanding service provided by the staff, who greeted us by name. Our initial experience during the tasting in January left us in awe, and the quality of food across all venues remained consistently outstanding. The wedding food, particularly the station choices, was a true culinary delight, satisfying every palate. The comprehensive alcohol and bar package ensured everyone's enjoyment throughout the celebration.

The following day, we treated 90 guests to a memorable Memphis-style BBQ luncheon, complemented by a well-curated beer and wine bar, which once again surpassed our expectations. Overall, our stay and event experiences were nothing short of amazing, thanks to the attentive staff and the impeccable quality of food and service provided.

Timika Spurlock, wedding planner at the hotel, truly made our daughter's wedding an unforgettable experience. Her meticulous attention to detail and dedication ensured that everything ran smoothly, even when there was a transition in planners. Timika's hard work and personal touch were evident throughout the planning process, and we couldn't be more satisfied with her exceptional service.

Mia Bullard also deserves commendation for her efforts in accommodating our room block needs. She consistently went above and beyond to meet our requests, demonstrating a high level of professionalism and efficiency.

Furthermore, Denise and Chantal at the front desk, Mr. Wayne the concierge, Monroe the bellman, and Tim the bartender all provided exemplary service during our stay. Their personalized attention and friendly demeanor made our time at the Royal Sonesta truly enjoyable.

We cannot express enough gratitude for the outstanding service provided by the staff at the Royal Sonesta. From the wedding captains to the waitstaff and bartenders, everyone went above and beyond to ensure our event was a success. Timika Spurlock deserves special recognition for her exceptional work as a wedding planner. We wholeheartedly recommend the Royal Sonesta to anyone planning a special event or looking for a memorable stay. Thank you for making our daughter's wedding an unforgettable occasion.

We did encounter a few surprise guests along the way- knocks at the door- footsteps in the rooms and nobody there- hmmm.. Cannot wait to come back and visit- Thank you all for making this a dream come true.

Wedding Breakdown:
75 guests (majority from out of state)
Date: April 8, 2023
Ceremony: Courtyard at 2:00 PM
Reception: Fleur de Lis Suite & Courtyard 2:30 - 7:00 PM
DJ: DJ Storm from Omega Entertainment
Second Line Parade & Planning: Frenchmen Street Productions

Pricing:
Great, reasonable prices for a city wedding with upscale dining/food and beverage. Very simple pricing layout for the packages so you can do the math yourself easily – or they will provide you with an estimate based on the option you are considering. You can customize/add items for more money, but their current options are really great as is.

Planning:
I started the process of looking for locations in January 2022. We live in a different state but most guests would have to travel anyways, we decided to look into our favorite city — NOLA! I knew I wasn’t going to get a wedding planner because of our budget and I already knew I what I wanted out of our wedding. Out of the gate, Olivia (Catering Sales Manager) was fantastic. She was preemptively thorough, answered all of my questions and made me laugh during some of my most stressed out moments. Simply put, every part of the planning process regarding the Royal Sonesta was made as easy as possible for me, thanks to Olivia.

I am very detail oriented, but there were several items Olivia brought to my attention for consideration that I would have never thought about. She understood exactly what I wanted. At this point, I’m convinced she is a mind reader. I was able to have the “little” things that were important to me like getting my cake packaged in to-go boxes for my guests (I provided the boxes) without a crazy up charge.

Tasting & The Team:
The tasting was an amazing experience. I loved that we got to meet the Chef and that he brought out members of his team to give them recognition for each of their contributions during the tasting.
Day of, our dedicated attendant (Zelda) was more than we could have asked for — she’s in the trust nest forever with us.

Rooms:
I’d recommend seeing if you and your bridal party/guests can fill the 8 rooms on the terrace above the courtyard the for the day before and of your wedding. It was fantastic to have that space made “private” because all of our people booked the rooms.

The Day Of:
It was calling for 100% rain and Olivia was fantastic about already having a backup option and working with me for my vision (the day before). Of course, there ended up being no rain. Everything was fantastic and went so smoothly the day of. Our guests raved about the food, beverages and venue. I knew it would all be great but it truly was fantastic. There was not a stressful moment on the day of and I couldn’t have been happier with how everything turned out.

First class Wedding experience! Olivia and the entire staff at the Royal Sonesta were a pleasure to work with for the past 11 months. Every question answered, every email answered promptly. Courtyard setting gorgeous. Fun bourbon balcony suites for the reception, such a unique experience. Food was delicious. The coordination of all of the events was seamless. Whole family loved all of the rooms. Honeymoon/bridal suite was ideal for us and definitely necessary for the getting ready part. Would not have changed a thing. Loved the Royal Sonesta!

We recently had our daughter’s reception at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans and it was phenomenal. Olivia Sage-El worked with us tirelessly to manage every detail from start to finish. She took care of all the rooms, menus, and even lighting. The food was exceptional and all our guests were impressed with the large variety of items. The chef modified several selections making them gluten free for my daughter and other guests with gluten restrictions. Olivia coordinated with my other vendors before and during the reception. I cannot say enough about how professional, caring, and committed Olivia was to our event. On the night of the reception Olivia and her team did an extraordinary job to achieve a flawless event. I received feedback from my guests for days raving about the event with many stating it was the best reception they had ever attended. The venue was beautiful. The hotel and all the employees we met were very nice. There were plenty of photo options! I would recommend having a reception at the Royal Sonesta to anyone. Olivia did everything to make a stressful event a fun and memorable one.

Beautiful, historic hotel in the French Quarter with impeccable customer service, delicious food, amazing amenities and ambiance! Gorgeous location for our wedding!