A seductively renovated 1845 Creole townhouse, boutique hotel Catahoulamakes the most of of a quirky layout, tactile brick walls and original windows in just 35 fresh and airy rooms. A short stroll from the French Quarter, this downtown gem is our New Orleans tip-off to in-the-know bons vivants. The proof is in the pisco here: all manner of head-turning cocktails can be found on the sun-kissed rooftop terrace, where guests gather to toast to the city and sample savoury scallion pancakes and smokey bao buns.