Hotels Near Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
Wednesday 11 November 2026 Smoothie King CenterUpdated Wednesday 11 November 2026
The short answer
24 hotels from our mapped pool sit within 8 km of Smoothie King Center, 14 of them within a 15 minute walk. Closest are Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown (8 min), Hyatt Regency New Orleans (8 min), Virgin Hotels New Orleans (13 min). Next up at the venue: New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday 11 November 2026. For that night the cheapest listed room starts around A$128 per night and the median is A$231, -32% against a normal A$342 night. Rates sampled 11 Nov 2026.
Smoothie King Center hosts a long run of Pelicans basketball through November and December 2026, from the opener against Brooklyn Nets on 11 November to a Lakers visit on 2 December. Stay close and you can walk in from several directions. The nearest hotel sits just 0.51 kilometres from the arena, and of the 24 hotels we list within 8 kilometres, 16 are an easy walk. Downtown is the natural base, with the largest cluster of hotels and a straightforward walk to most games. French Quarter suits travellers who want atmosphere and nightlife around their game, while Convention Center offers a quieter, more business-style stay just a few minutes further out. On big nights, especially the Lakers visit or the Emirates NBA Cup fixtures, nearby rooms get booked early, so sort your stay well before tip-off.
When to book
Pelicans play at Smoothie King Center regularly between 11 November and 4 December 2026, including two Emirates NBA Cup fixtures. With 16 of 24 hotels an easy walk from the arena, book early for marquee games like the Lakers visit on 2 December, when walkable rooms go first.
Best areas to stay near Smoothie King Center
Areas are the supplier zones our mapped hotels fall into, ordered by distance to the venue. Prices are the median event-night rate for the hotels we list in that area.
Downtown
15 hotels · 0.5 to 1.1 km · 9 walkable
Downtown holds the largest share of hotels near the arena, 13 in total, with 9 an easy walk. Distances run from 0.51 to 1.1 kilometres, suiting fans who want the shortest route in on game night.
- Event night
- A$235
- Normal night
- A$331
3 to 5 star hotels listed
Convention Center
2 hotels · 0.8 to 0.9 km · 2 walkable
Convention Center offers 3 hotels, 2 of them walkable, sitting between 0.84 and 1.06 kilometres from the arena. It is a calmer option for travellers who still want to walk to Pelicans games.
- Event night
- A$300
- Normal night
- A$998
3 to 4 star hotels listed
French Quarter
6 hotels · 0.9 to 1.1 km · 3 walkable
French Quarter has 7 hotels, 5 walkable, all within a tight band of 0.94 to 1.03 kilometres. It suits fans who want the area's atmosphere before and after the game, with a short walk home.
- Event night
- A$259
- Normal night
- A$361
3 to 4 star hotels listed
New Orleans
1 hotel · 1.1 to 1.1 km · 0 walkable
This listing has a single hotel, 1.08 kilometres from the arena, with no walkable option recorded. It suits travellers happy to take a short ride rather than walk to Smoothie King Center.
- Event night
- A$130
- Normal night
- A$289
3-star hotels listed
Hotels near Smoothie King Center, by distance
Event window 11 Nov 2026 → 12 Nov 2026 · 2 nights · 2 adultsPer-night prices are our lowest sampled rate for the event window versus a normal night three weeks out. Walking times use about 12 minutes per kilometre over a street route 30% longer than a straight line. Anything over 15 minutes is shown as a ride.
| Hotel | Area | Distance | Stars | Event night | Normal night | Cancellation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown Closest hotel to the arena, an 8-minute walk from Downtown, 3-star comfort for game night. 9.9/10 guest score · 1 reviews | Downtown | ~8 min walk 0.5 km | 3 | A$235 | A$585 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Hyatt Regency New Orleans Four-star Downtown stay just 8 minutes on foot from Smoothie King Center. 7.8/10 guest score · 3 reviews | Downtown | ~8 min walk 0.5 km | 4 | A$432 | A$575 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Virgin Hotels New Orleans A 13-minute walk from the arena, this 4-star Convention Center hotel suits a quieter stay. | Convention Center | ~13 min walk 0.8 km | 4 | A$369 | A$1,563 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Homewood Suites by Hilton New Orleans 3-star suites in Convention Center, a 13-minute walk to Smoothie King Center. | Convention Center | ~13 min walk 0.9 km | 3 | A$232 | A$433 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Holiday Inn Express New Orleans Downtown Straightforward 3-star Downtown base, 13 minutes on foot from the Pelicans' home arena. | Downtown | ~13 min walk 0.9 km | 3 | A$155 | Not yet | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 The Troubadour Hotel New Orleans 4-star Downtown hotel, 14 minutes on foot from the arena, good for game-night comfort. 8.3/10 guest score · 3 reviews | Downtown | ~14 min walk 0.9 km | 4 | A$128 | A$251 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Le Pavillon, New Orleans, A Tribute Portfolio Classic 4-star Downtown hotel, 14 minutes on foot from the Pelicans' arena. | Downtown | ~14 min walk 0.9 km | 4 | A$280 | Not yet | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Canopy by Hilton New Orleans Downtown Modern 4-star stay in Downtown, a 14-minute walk from Smoothie King Center. | Downtown | ~14 min walk 0.9 km | 4 | A$200 | A$333 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Selina Catahoula New Orleans Laid-back 3-star Downtown stay, a 14-minute walk from the arena. 8.0/10 guest score · 1 reviews | Downtown | ~14 min walk 0.9 km | 3 | A$282 | Not yet | See rates | View rates |
 Fairfield Inn & Suites New Orleans Downtown Reliable 3-star Downtown choice, a 15-minute walk from Smoothie King Center. | Downtown | ~15 min walk 0.9 km | 3 | A$235 | Not yet | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Element New Orleans Downtown 3-star Downtown base, a 15-minute walk from Smoothie King Center, right at the limit. | Downtown | ~15 min walk 0.9 km | 3 | A$211 | A$318 | See rates | View rates |
 The Barnett 4-star French Quarter hotel, a 15-minute walk from the arena, close to the Quarter's buzz. | French Quarter | ~15 min walk 0.9 km | 4 | A$351 | A$267 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
 Nopsi New Orleans 4-star French Quarter stay, 15 minutes on foot from the Pelicans' home arena. 7.8/10 guest score · 1 reviews | French Quarter | ~15 min walk 0.9 km | 4 | A$295 | A$350 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
| French Quarter | ~15 min walk 1.0 km | 3 | A$167 | A$371 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
| French Quarter | ~5 min ride 1.0 km | 4 | A$325 | A$2,137 | See rates | View rates | |
| Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.0 km | 3 | A$210 | A$220 | See rates | View rates | |
| French Quarter | ~5 min ride 1.0 km | 3 | A$150 | A$232 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
| Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 4 | A$236 | A$1,109 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
| New Orleans | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 3 | A$130 | A$289 | See rates | View rates | |
| Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 3 | A$141 | A$310 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
 Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans Canal St. French 7.6/10 guest score · 1 reviews | Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 3 | A$275 | A$331 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
| French Quarter | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 3 | A$224 | A$387 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
| Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 4 | A$230 | A$302 | Free cancellation available | View rates | |
| Downtown | ~5 min ride 1.1 km | 5 | A$574 | A$666 | Free cancellation available | View rates |
Map: Smoothie King Center and the listed hotels
Getting to Smoothie King Center
Official rideshare zone on Poydras Street
Smoothie King Center designates its official rideshare drop off and pick up zone on Poydras Street, north of the arena campus, about a five minute walk away. The zone is geo-fenced, so Uber and Lyft drivers can only confirm pickups once a guest is physically inside it.
Canal and Loyola streetcar lines serve the arena
The RTA Canal Street streetcar line is considered the closest streetcar service to the arena, stopping on Poydras Street a short walk from the entrance, while the Loyola Avenue line has a Julia Street stop within walking distance of the venue. Streetcar routes also serve Poydras Street directly outside Champions Square next to the arena.
RTA bus routes 28 and 91 serve the arena
Several RTA bus routes serve the downtown area around the arena, including routes 28 and 91, which provide direct access to Smoothie King Center.
Source: blog.elitesportstours.com, new-orleans-party-bus.com
Champions Garage is the closest covered parking
The Champions Garage off Girod Street is the closest parking structure to the arena, sitting directly adjacent to the Smoothie King Center and Caesars Superdome campus, with several small surface lots just across the street. The wider complex has seven parking garages and two surface lots shared with the Superdome.
Metered street parking as a cheaper alternative
Metered parking is available on streets between the arena and the Central Business District, and enforcement typically stops in the early evening, after which many fans park there and walk a few blocks to the venue.
ADA parking in Lot 3
Accessible parking for events is located in Lot 3 of the Smoothie King Center, entered from Girod Street, and is allocated on a first come first served basis requiring a valid disabled placard and matching identification.
Louis Armstrong Airport is around 20 to 30 minutes by road
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) lies roughly eleven to twelve miles from the arena, with driving times generally quoted at around eighteen to thirty minutes depending on traffic. A direct RTA or JP Transit bus connection also links the airport area to the downtown arena district, though it typically takes around forty five minutes including transfers.
Downtown sits beside the Superdome and Pontchartrain Expressway
The arena sits in the Central Business District immediately beside Caesars Superdome and is easily spotted when driving in via the Pontchartrain Expressway, which forms the main road approach from outside the city for event traffic.
What hotels cost on the event night
Based on 24 hotels within 8 km that returned a rate for 11 Nov 2026 → 12 Nov 2026 (2 adults) compared with the same hotels three weeks from today. The lowest event-night rate we found was A$128 per night. Sampled 11 Nov 2026; live rates at checkout may differ.
Upcoming at Smoothie King Center
Frequently asked questions
Which hotels are within walking distance of Smoothie King Center?
14 of the 24 hotels we list are within a 15 minute walk. The closest are Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown (8 min, 0.5 km), Hyatt Regency New Orleans (8 min, 0.5 km), Virgin Hotels New Orleans (13 min, 0.8 km).
How much do hotels near Smoothie King Center cost on the event night?
Across 24 hotels within 8 km, the median rate for 11 Nov 2026 is A$231 per night for two adults, compared with A$342 on a normal night (-32%). The lowest listed rate is A$128 at The Troubadour Hotel New Orleans.
When is New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets at Smoothie King Center?
New Orleans Pelicans vs Brooklyn Nets is scheduled for Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 19:00 local time (NBA (Basketball)). Suggested hotel dates are the night before and the night of the event (11 Nov 2026 → 12 Nov 2026).
Which area is best to stay in for Smoothie King Center?
Stay as close as your budget allows. 14 listed hotels are within a 15 minute walk, which removes the post-event transport crush. Hotels further into New Orleans, LA are usually cheaper on the event night and still a short ride away. The areas section above lists each zone with its distance band and median event-night price.
Can I book a hotel near Smoothie King Center with free cancellation?
19 of the 24 listed hotels returned at least one free-cancellation rate for the event window. Refundable rates are usually a little higher than the lead rate; the hotel page shows both.
Can I book hotel and event tickets together?
Yes. Event Escapes sells tickets and hotels for New Orleans, LA events, and packages combine the two with pay-weekly instalments where available.
Keep planning
Hotel distances are straight-line from the venue; walking times are estimates. Event-night and normal-night prices are the lowest rates our systems sampled for two adults on the dates shown and include our service fee; live availability and prices at checkout may differ. Event details come from the ticketing feed.