There are many hotels in downtown New Orleans, and mostly all of them are a short walk from a streetcar line. They are oriented mainly to their proximity to the French Quarter. Canal Street forms the dividing line between the French Quarter and the Central Business District (CBD). Almost all of the hotels are on or within a few blocks of Canal, either on the Quarter or the CBD side. They are all closely served by the Canal Streetcar, and those near St. Charles or Carondelet are also close to the St. Charles Streetcar. There are some others closer to the Mississippi River, by the casinos, riverboats, and convention center. This group is close to the Riverfront Streetcar line.
Two years ago our group stayed in New Orleans on our way to the Sunset Limited for our trip to Southern California. One person found a deal as low as $10 for an upscale hotel! Another group was "walked" from their chosen hotel to a Ritz Carlton. Don't consider the hotels out by the airport unless you want a long taxi or bus ride. You should find something within your budget in the downtown area.
My lists are never by any means complete, as there are surely some hotels that qualify but were overlooked. Nevertheless, here is a good selection of downtown hotels that are on or within 5 blocks of a streetcar line.
In addition, it is not a bad walk between the Amtrak station and some of the hotels. Roughly 8 blocks on Loyola will bring you to the heart of the CBD and many of the listed hotels. Alternatively, one can also walk in the neutral ground (median to outsiders) of Howard Street to Lee Circle, where the St. Charles Streetcar stops.
