I continue to be most excited about—and impressed with—how Sheraton Hotels consistently get accessibility right for my mobility needs. This is now the fifth Sheraton out of the last six I've stayed at over the past three years that has really nailed accessibility.
Most recently, I stayed at the Sheraton on Canal Street in New Orleans, and it was another great experience. I was especially impressed with the roll-in shower, which had the shampoo and body wash mounted at wheelchair-accessible height, plus extra bottles on the sink. I especially appreciated this because so many hotels now permanently mount the amenities to the wall, making them difficult to use. There was also a mounted shower chair. The grab bars were properly installed, and the room had plenty of turning space throughout, which makes such a difference when using a power wheelchair. The lighting was excellent, with switches and lamps at accessible heights, making everything much more convenient.
I couldn't help but think this hotel caters more to tourists and convention attendees than to families with kids. In fact, looking back, I don't remember seeing a single child during my stay.
One thing to know if you're staying for an extended visit: there isn't a guest laundry room. That meant I had to rethink my "travel light" strategy and get creative by repurposing outfits. I even ended up buying a couple of new shirts at H&M. It reminded me of my usual travel dilemma—either I pack too many shirts and not enough pants, or too many pants and not enough shirts!
There was just one accessibility issue: the towels were stored too high for me to reach from my wheelchair. I called housekeeping, and they responded quickly by placing them on the sink where I could easily access them. While the room didn't include a refrigerator, housekeeping also brought one up promptly after I requested it.
Another thing I appreciated was the abundance of electrical outlets at different heights throughout the room. Charging my phone, laptop, and power wheelchair was easy, and I never had to move furniture or hunt for an outlet. The king bed was huge, fluffy, and incredibly comfortable.
My only real disappointment was the concierge desk. I was honestly surprised by the lack of local knowledge and recommendations. I asked several times about well-known restaurants, including Dooky Chase, and was told they'd never heard of them. For a hotel in New Orleans, that was disappointing. Even the valets weren't very knowledgeable about local dining. Whether it was simply a lack of familiarity or something else, I found it surprisingly difficult to get recommendations for some of the city's most iconic restaurants.
Also impressive was the hotel's modern elevator system. Instead of pressing a floor button inside the elevator, you select your destination before boarding, and it tells you which elevator car to take. There are no floor buttons inside the elevators, which made the process simple, efficient, and surprisingly intuitive.
The lobby is spacious and inviting, with a Starbucks, Café Beignet, and two comfortable lounge areas. During my two-week stay, those spaces were constantly filled with guests watching FIFA matches on the theater-sized TV, and the lobby bar seemed busy every evening. The location couldn't be much better—right on Canal Street, directly across from the French Quarter and within easy reach of all the excitement.
Overall, this was another excellent Sheraton stay. Sheraton keeps earning my business because they consistently get accessibility right. That's why I keep choosing them whenever I book within the Marriott Bonvoy family.
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