If you’re trying to book accommodations in New Orleans for more than 10 people, you’ve already discovered the problem: there’s almost nowhere to stay.
Search Airbnb for places that sleep 15, 20, or 25 guests and you’ll find a handful of sketchy listings—most of which are multiple units that don’t actually connect, or properties way out in Metairie.
This isn’t a search algorithm issue. It’s a regulation issue. And understanding it will save you hours of frustration.
Why New Orleans Has So Few Large Group Rentals
In 2019, New Orleans passed strict short-term rental regulations. Among the rules: most residential properties can only host up to 10 guests.
The result? Hundreds of options for groups of 10 or fewer. Cross that threshold to 11, and your choices drop to a short list of properties actually built and permitted for it.
That short list is below — every real option in town, compared honestly. No sponsored placements, no favorites.
Villas & Whole Houses
Everyone under one roof, one kitchen, one long table. The category to beat for celebrations.
Castleday Retreats — Bywater. Three private villas, each with 12 bedrooms and 17 real beds, hosting 14–30 guests apiece (book all three for up to ~90). Private pool at each villa, local art throughout, full kitchens, and no shared spaces with strangers. Best for groups that want total seclusion — bachelorettes with their own pool, retreats that need privacy to actually work.
The Syd — Lower Garden District. Multiple villas sleeping up to 22 each, every room designed by local New Orleans artists. Heated pool, hot tub, sauna, and outdoor kitchen shared between units, one block from the St. Charles streetcar. Best for groups that want to be central — walking distance to downtown venues, the Convention Center, and a 10-minute walk to the Quarter.
Heirloom — Lower Garden District & Central City. The deepest inventory in the category: dozens of large-format homes, from grand 1860s renovations to entire new-construction compounds. Design-forward and professionally run — and the scale means Heirloom is often the answer when everything else is booked. One honest note: the houses are more consistent than the blocks they sit on, so check the exact address before you pay a deposit.
The Mazant — Bywater. An 1880s Greek Revival on the National Register, run as a licensed guesthouse. Sleeps up to 18, heated pool and spa, and a yard built for crawfish boils — Condé Nast Traveler named it the best Airbnb for a large gathering in 2025. If your group fits in 18 and wants one historic house, it’s a genuinely great booking, which is why it’s reserved months out.
Group Suites — the New Hybrid Hotels
The newest category in town: hotel buildings carved into giant multi-bedroom suites. More privacy than a villa, more togetherness than a room block — and everyone can book separately and settle their own bill, which for some groups is the feature that matters most.
Hotel Perle — CBD / Warehouse District. St. Charles at Julia. Suites run two to seven bedrooms each, with kitchens and laundry, plus a rooftop pool and bar. You can walk to the WWII Museum, the Convention Center, and half the restaurants your group will argue about.
The Revelry — Central City. Baronne Street, two blocks off the St. Charles streetcar. Three apartment-style floors sleeping six to nine each, wrapped around a saltwater pool. Take one floor for a dozen or the whole building for thirty-plus.
Hotels With Room Blocks
The classic move, and still the right one for conference add-ons, mixed budgets, and groups who want togetherness with an exit. Everyone gets their own room, key, and bill.
Best options: The Roosevelt, Hotel Bennett (the old Ace), Hotel Peter & Paul, The Pontchartrain.
Pros: Concierge handles logistics, no cleaning, walkable locations, everyone pays their own way.
Cons: Everyone retreats to separate rooms. Much more expensive per person. No kitchen.
Multiple Adjacent Rentals
Book 2-3 rentals near each other on Airbnb.
Pros: More availability, can sometimes find deals.
Cons: Your group is literally separated. No shared common space. Coordinating logistics is a pain.
Tips if you go this route:
- Search for properties on the same block
- Message hosts to confirm they’re actually close
- Pick one property as “home base” for gatherings
The Whole Field, Compared
| Property | Neighborhood | Sleeps | Pool | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castleday Retreats | Bywater | 14–30 per villa (~90 across three) | Private, each villa | Total privacy and seclusion |
| The Syd | Lower Garden District | Up to 22 per villa | Shared heated pool + hot tub | Being central to everything |
| Heirloom | LGD & Central City | Varies by home, up to 30+ | Many homes | Choice and availability |
| The Mazant | Bywater | Up to 18 | Heated pool + spa | One historic house |
| Hotel Perle | CBD / Warehouse | 2–7 BR per suite | Rooftop | Suites with separate bills |
| The Revelry | Central City | 6–9 per floor, ~30 total | Saltwater | A floor per crew |
| Room blocks | Various | Unlimited | Hotel pools | Mixed budgets, conferences |
How to Book
Every property above takes reservations directly — search it by name to reach its booking site. Some also appear on Airbnb and VRBO. Whatever you book, confirm three things in writing before you pay a deposit:
- The permitted guest count. New Orleans caps most short-term rental permits at 10. Make sure the property is actually licensed for your group’s size — not just listed as “sleeps 20.”
- What “sleeps X” really means. Ask for a bed breakdown: how many real beds versus pullouts and air mattresses.
- Whether it’s one connected property or several separate units. A listing that “sleeps 24” across three apartments on different blocks is not the same as everyone under one roof.
For the largest selection, book 6+ months out. There’s no real “slow weekend” for big-group properties — the handful that exist fill on roughly the same clock all year, so lead time buys choice, not just availability.
What to Avoid
“Sleeps 20” listings that are actually 2-3 separate units: Read carefully. Many Airbnb listings advertise large capacity but are multiple disconnected apartments. You’ll be across the hall from each other, not actually together.
Properties outside city limits: Some listings in Metairie or Kenner advertise large capacity. You’ll spend your whole trip in Ubers and miss the point of visiting New Orleans.
Party houses with bad reviews: Check recent reviews. Noise complaints, security deposit issues, and “strict house rules” are red flags.
Our Honest Take
There’s no single best answer — there’s a best answer for your trip:
- A celebration where being together is the point → a villa or whole house. Castleday for seclusion and a private pool; The Syd for a central base; The Mazant if you’re 18 or fewer and want one historic house.
- Booking late, or picky about the exact house → Heirloom’s inventory gives you the most to choose from.
- Everyone wants their own bill and their own key → Hotel Perle or The Revelry. Group suites are the honest middle path, and nobody has to Venmo anybody.
- Mixed budgets, light sleepers, or a conference on the calendar → a hotel room block, and the concierge does the coordinating.
Whatever you pick, book something actually built and permitted for your headcount — that single decision does more for the trip than anything else on this site.
FAQs
Why is 10 the cutoff for most rentals? New Orleans city regulations limit most short-term rental permits to 10 guests maximum. Properties that can legally host more are rare.
Can I just book a 10-person rental for 15 people? Technically some people try this, but it violates the rental agreement, risks your deposit, and could get you kicked out mid-trip. Not worth it.
How far in advance should I book? For the largest selection, book 6+ months out. There’s no real “slow weekend” for big-group properties — the handful that exist fill on roughly the same clock all year, so lead time buys choice, not just availability.
What if my first choice is booked? Work across the field, not down a wish list: the villas and whole houses trade off against each other (privacy vs. location vs. inventory vs. history), and the group suites are a genuinely good plan B that some groups end up preferring. The comparison table above is built for exactly this decision.