Ask the team · Bywater, New Orleans
Holidays · New Orleans
The holidays in New Orleans: one house big enough for the whole list.
Somewhere between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, most families outgrow the dining room that used to fit them. New Orleans in December is the fix: gas lanterns, Réveillon menus, lights in the oaks, and a villa where everybody sleeps in a real bed and eats at one table.
The short answer
Can the whole family actually spend the holidays in one house?
Here, yes: each CastleDay villa sleeps up to 30 across 12 bedrooms and 17 beds, so the cousins, in-laws and grandparents stay together instead of splitting across hotel rooms. The dining table seats 18, the chef’s kitchen has double refrigerators for the big cook, and The Florentine (our ADA Accessible Villa) has an accessible ground-floor queen suite with the kitchen, dining and pool on the same level. And it’s a licensed hotel that feels like a house: inspected, legal, city permit 24-XSTR-24029.
The city does the holidays properly. Thanksgiving weekend brings the Bayou Classic to the dome and opens Celebration in the Oaks, City Park’s lights, about 15 minutes away. December runs on Réveillon menus citywide and caroling in Jackson Square. On New Year’s Eve the fireworks go up over the river at Crescent Park, a short walk from the block, and in mid-January the Sugar Bowl (a College Football Playoff semifinal in 2027) lands at the dome.
At the villa, winter is the hot tub’s season and the pool is heated, so the kids swim in December while the grill handles the fried-turkey experiment. The XL TVs inside and out carry the bowl games, and the courtyard takes the family photo, no ladder required.
A December crew put it simply after their stay: “We stayed here with a large group… and it was so much fun! We really enjoyed the pool, hot tub and outdoor space.” They hired a private chef for one night and let the big table do the rest. The Bed Map on every villa page shows all seventeen beds, room by room, so the room assignments survive the family group chat.
One more honest note: December is one of the friendlier stretches of our calendar, with more open weekends than the festival months and rates to match. The bill stays simple: the nightly rate plus one cleaning fee, plus occupancy taxes, no per-guest fees. Pick your dates and the calculator shows the real price at live rates, split per person, before you’ve told us your name.
One table for the whole list
A dining table for 18, a chef’s kitchen with double refrigerators, and a courtyard for the family photo.
Winter is hot-tub season
The pool is heated and the hot tub earns its keep; the kids swim in December.
The friendly season
More open weekends than festival months, with Celebration in the Oaks and Réveillon on the calendar.
Three villas
Take one villa, or all three.
The layouts match; the personalities don't. Each sleeps up to 30; book two for up to 60, or all three for up to 90.
Good to know
Common questions
Can a big family rent a house for Thanksgiving or Christmas in New Orleans?
Yes: each CastleDay villa sleeps up to 30 across 12 bedrooms and 17 beds, with a dining table for 18 and a chef’s kitchen built for the big cook. All three villas together hold up to 90 on one block.
What’s happening in New Orleans over the holidays?
Thanksgiving weekend has the Bayou Classic and the opening of Celebration in the Oaks in City Park (about 15 minutes away). December runs on Réveillon dinner menus and caroling in Jackson Square, and New Year’s Eve fireworks go up over the river at Crescent Park, a short walk from the block.
Is the pool usable in winter?
Yes: the pool is heated and every villa has a hot tub, which is at its best in December. Swimsuits still make the packing list.
Does it work for grandparents and mobility needs?
The Florentine is our ADA Accessible Villa: an accessible ground-floor queen suite with an accessible tub, and the kitchen, dining, living room and pool all on the same level. Tell us what you need before booking and we’ll make sure it works.
What will the holidays cost us?
The nightly rate plus one cleaning fee, plus occupancy taxes; no per-guest fees, so the per-person share usually drops as the list grows. December rates are friendlier than festival season: pick your dates and the calculator shows the real price at live rates, split per person.
What about New Year’s Eve itself?
The fireworks go up over the river at Crescent Park, a short walk away, and the Quarter’s celebrations are a ten-minute ride. Home is close enough that the party can end whenever each generation wants it to.
Keep the group together
Ready to keep your whole group together?
Each villa sleeps up to 30 across 12 bedrooms, 17 beds, and 8 baths. No per-guest fees, and the lowest rate is always direct.
Check availability