Even though "New Orleans" as a topic has diverted somewhat from the initial offering . . . I too have some thoughts about the place.
Over the decades my travels for business and pleasure have numbered close to two dozen -mainly business and most times in/out by air or ship.
I preferred staying at hotels pretty much on the periphery of the French Quarter - walking distance if you will. Although for the budget minded, there are bargains galore to be found if willing to pound the keys a bit.
In my experiences it was always warm to hot and with high humidity whilst below sea level. If not for air conditioning, there is no way I could survive there!
There are all sorts of things to do and see in the city and immediate vicinity. For example, taking the street car system just for the ride turned out to be quite a low-cost tour out to Lake Ponchartrain - however, I must admit that was eons ago. Still, some fascinating things to see - the antebellum type homes, above ground cemeteries and the southern style hustle & bustle was intriguing to me.
One of my favorite breakfast places was/is Cafe Du Monde, which has some interesting coffee's and pastry's plus an excellent place to observe - simply observe. A link:
http://cafedumonde.com
Of late, I take the train from Chicago or fly down for a return north by train. My preference is to stay at the Holiday Inn Downtown Superdome (with the huge Saxophone on the side of the structure). Great place - good proximity to things I like to do and see, etc. One of those things is a visit to their National WWII museum - a must see for anyone who has served or appreciates those who have. A link:
http://www.nationalww2museum.org
As for the train station itself, called a Union Passenger Terminal, it is well done for the times with a small but adequate lounge for bedroom passengers called the Magnoiia Lounge.
A link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Union_Passenger_Terminal
Arrival and departure times for the City of New Orleans are convenient enough to where I prefer them to the train. Of course being in the St. Louis area means an extra link-up for more trains! Nothing wrong with that, eh?