New Orleans is a city with some dangerous areas. Drug-related shootings are common, as is carjacking. Because the French Quarter is the key factor in the city's appeal as a tourist destination, it is well policed and quite safe, but wander off the beaten track at your peril. The Quarter is stuffed with hotels. We stayed at the high-rise Holiday Inn on Royal Street which, although lacking any aesthetic appeal, is central and has plenty of rooms at approx. $100 a night, which is fairly average, although rooms are cheaper on the edge of the Quarter. Hotel rates can fluctuate wildly depending on the season, and everything is extra expensive during Mardi Gras.