Lafayette, LA: Hotel & Motel Planning Guide

Where would you find affordable hotels in Lafayette, Louisiana?

You simply cannot improve on the amenities and value you will find at Best Western Plus Vermilion River Suites Hotel. This Lafayette area hotel brings you close to attractions like the Lafayette Natural History Museum and Planetarium and key shopping areas. Its stylish, earthy décor soothes guests with a calming vibe, and the hotel offers welcomed touches like bolster pillows and pillow top mattresses.

This is a great option for larger families with children, as each room comes with a pull-out sofa bed. An in-room mini-fridge and microwave helps you extend your dollar further for snacking and light meals. The free daily breakfast offers hot dishes and breakfast favorites to please everyone.

The indoor pool is one of the Best Western Plus Vermilion River Suites' most appealing amenities. This kidney-shaped pool is housed in a light-filled glass atrium, full of lounge chairs and wrap-around windows. After a swim, you can take the kids right over to the hotel restaurant and lounge for a convenient meal.

Where are the best values near Lafayette, Louisiana?

Want to be close to Acadian Village and the Lafayette Airport? The Courtyard by Marriott Lafayette Airport meets this criterion and delivers much more. You'll find excellent value and modern style the moment you step inside this Courtyard by Marriott. The lobby's numerous seating areas invite you to sit and relax, an appealing amenity for large groups. If you find yourself hungry, pop into the hotel café for a snack or light meal, or you can visit the convenience store near the service desk.

In your guest room, you'll find the luxurious amenities you'd expect for a much higher rate, like pillow top mattresses and a smart television with Wi-Fi. Artistic murals and furnishings with clean lines make this the hotel of choice for urbanites on holiday. Farther afield in the hotel, you can take advantage of the fitness center, indoor pool, and 24-hour business center. If you're planning an event, the Courtyard by Marriott Lafayette Airport offers modest event space for intimate meetings, and express checkout helps you keep moving when it's time to depart.

When would be the best time to visit Lafayette, LA?

Lafayette, Louisiana, is a great place to visit during Mardi Gras if you want to see how the locals celebrate. This Southern Louisiana town doesn't hold back. You'll have your pick of balls, parades, performances, and king cake if you visit Lafayette in late February or early March. Be sure to check community calendars before booking, as the dates change each year. If you come in springtime, you will also see scores of azaleas bursting into bloom.

April brings five days of world music to Lafayette with the Festival International de Louisiana. In the fall, locals love the Festival Acadiens et Creole, a 3-day festival that celebrates the food, music, dancing, arts, and crafts of Creole culture. Throughout the fall and spring, you'll have ample opportunities to enjoy outdoor concerts around the city.

If you're planning a trip to Lafayette during the winter holiday season, you can't miss Acadian Village at Christmas. This 19th-century Cajun village is illuminated in endless lights, reflected brilliantly in the bayou. This family-friendly affair offers rides for kids and a chance for a photo with Santa. A VIP ticket gets you admission and complementary snack, beverage, and dinner of jambalaya or another entrée. Little kids get in free, making this event a great value for festive holiday fun.

Eco-tourists who intend to do some birding, fishing, or swamp tours should consider visiting in the months outside of peak summer. Southern Louisiana air gets hot and humid in the summertime. Summer visitors heading to Cypress Lake or Lake Martin to see the swampland, alligators, turtles, and Cypress trees, should take care to hydrate, wear sunscreen, and shoot for early morning before the sun gets high in the sky.

The Melting Pot of Peoples: Lafayette, LA

You'll find delicious, zesty jambalaya in Lafayette, but the real melting pot is the people themselves. Lafayette traces its roots back to relocated French settlers who were expelled by the British from Arcadia, a province of Canada. These Acadians came to be known as the Cajuns. The Spanish also left their mark on the community, and without a doubt, the former slaves and Creoles added their own spices and flavors to the dishes and regional dances that are synonymous with Louisiana.

Legend has it that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem “Evangeline,” a tale of two lovers separated by the Acadian exile to Lafayette, was based on real people. Locals say that Evangeline eventually made her way to Lafayette, though she never reunited with her estranged love. You can find out more about the poem, the people it represents, and the local population at the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site. The property includes a former indigo and sugarcane plantation situated near the famous Bayou Teche.

The history of the early settlers, Cajuns, and Creoles also lives on today in Acadian Village and Vermilionville, two communities dedicated to historic reenactment and preservation. Each provides fascinating glimpses into bayou life back in the 19th century. Explore the local handicrafts, watch a blacksmith at work, or simply marvel at the rustic dwellings of yesteryear.

There are plenty of other things to learn in Lafayette's museum loop, which includes the Lafayette Science Museum and Planetarium, the Children's Museum of Acadiana, the Alexandre Mouton House, Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, and Cité des Arts.

Come for the gumbo and shrimp and grits but stay for the Zydeco and the fascinating living history of Southern Louisiana. With a full tummy and a full heart, you'll leave Lafayette smiling.

'The more you travel, the more well-off you'll be, I think- this is what RJ Mitte, of 'Breaking Bad fame believes. He was born in Lafayette in 1992, and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy a few years later.

Stepping Into Lafayette

Fondly termed as 'The Hub City, Lafayette is the 4th largest city of Louisiana. Located along Vermillion River, the city hosts the parish seat for Lafayette parish, LA. It was a French man by the name of Jean Mouton who founded this American city in1821 and its erstwhile name was Vermilionville. Later the name was changed to Lafayette after the famous American Army warrior General Lafayette. The city is the hub of Acadiana & is known for its Cajun & Creole culture.

Budget Stays in Lafayette

If you are in quest of cheap hotels in the city, Motel 6 is a good option no doubt. This simple hotel hosts standard rooms fitted with cable TVs, minifridges & Wi-Fi facility is available against fee. You will love the seasonal pool and the hotel also assures coin laundry, free coffee in the morning & truck parking. Another great option for cheap hotels in the LA city is Super 8. This contemporary hotel welcomes with modern rooms equipped with private bathrooms, flat-screen cable TV, minifridges, microwaves, coffeemakers & free Wi-Fi. It's one of the top rated budget Lafayette hotels that also offers complimentary breakfast. There is an outdoor pool & the hotel offers free of cost bus/truck parking.

Luxury Accommodations in Lafayette

When it comes to plush hotels in Lafayette, Hampton Inn & Suites Lafayette is a top-notch name. Located closer to the city airport, the hotel boasts 95 rooms with all edgy amenities like free Wi-fi, LCD cable TVs, pillowtop beds, sofa beds, refrigerators, microwaves & guests are also offered free newspapers. On-site amenities include outdoor pool, spa tub, rooftop terrace, business center, tea/coffee in the hotel lobby. Freebies include breakfast buffet, airport shuttle & parking.

Courtyard by Marriott is one of the most coveted hotels in Lafayette for those planning a true luxe stay in the city. It's a smoke-free hotel with indoor pool, restaurant, fitness center, lounge bar, cafe, snack bar/deli & free parking is also available. There are as many as 90 rooms to pick from with free internet, cable TVs, pillowtop beds, microwaves, refrigerators & coffee makers.

Looking for Boutique Stays in Lafayette?

When it comes to boutique Lafayette hotels, Carriage House Hotel is an exclusive choice. It's the only four-diamond property in the city which boasts 21 boutique suites & 6 extended-stay condos in vibrant shades, custom furnishing, great spa bathrooms & all other high end boutique amenities. On-site amenities are equally amazing and include cutting edge fitness center, tennis court, dining options, aquatics and so on. It surely is one among the finest of resorts in the city.

The Juliet Hotel is another highly revered boutique accommodation for travelers in Lafayette. Set in a posh classic building, the hotel hosts elegantly-furnished rooms & suites with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen cable TVs, microwaves & coffee makers. The hotel lobby looks inviting with casual seating arrangements around a warm fireplace. Other on-site amenities include steam room, sauna, fitness room, hot tub & a grand outdoor pool.