Holiday travel · February 17, 2026
Top 20 Hotel Destinations for Mardi Gras
Where to stay for Mardi Gras, from New Orleans parade routes to the Gulf Coast's other celebrations and the world's great Carnival cities, all on the same pre-Lenten calendar.
Jump to hotels ↓New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Close to the St. Charles Avenue parade route, with a calm retreat from the crowds.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: Windsor Court Hotel. Refined hotel near the French Quarter with afternoon tea and a notable art collection.
Explore New Orleans (Central Business District) →New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Right by Canal Street, where most major parades finish.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Grand 1893 hotel home to the Sazerac Bar.
Explore New Orleans (Downtown) →New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Front-row Bourbon Street balconies in the heart of the French Quarter celebrations.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: Royal Sonesta New Orleans. Bourbon Street hotel with balconies over the action.
Explore New Orleans (French Quarter) →New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Why Mardi Gras
On the St. Charles Avenue route in the Garden District, where families line the street for Uptown parades.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: The Pontchartrain Hotel. 1927 hotel on the St. Charles Avenue parade route.
Explore New Orleans (Garden District) →New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Steps from Canal Street parades at the edge of the French Quarter.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
Where we'd stay: The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Beaux-Arts hotel on Canal Street at the edge of the French Quarter.
Explore New Orleans (Canal Street) →Alabama, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Mobile hosts America's oldest Mardi Gras, with weeks of parades and mystic society balls.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); some rain
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
Where we'd stay: The Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa. Restored 1852 landmark in downtown Mobile.
Hotels in Mobile →Texas, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Galveston's Mardi Gras is one of the largest in Texas, with parades on the Strand.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~64°F (18°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- beach
Where we'd stay: The Tremont House. Historic hotel in the Strand district with a rooftop bar.
Hotels in Galveston →Clayton, Missouri, United States
Why Mardi Gras
St. Louis' Soulard neighborhood hosts one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the US.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~44°F (7°C); cold
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- city
Where we'd stay: The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Clayton hotel a short drive from Soulard.
Hotels in Clayton →Mississippi, United States
Why Mardi Gras
Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast hold parades throughout Carnival season.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~63°F (17°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- beach
Where we'd stay: Beau Rivage Resort & Casino. Gulf Coast resort with a spa and marina.
Hotels in Biloxi →
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Why Mardi Gras
Rio's Carnival runs over the same days, with Sambadrome parades and street blocos.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~86°F (30°C); hot, humid
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- city
- beach
- culture
Where we'd stay: Copacabana Palace, A Belmond Hotel. 1923 icon on Copacabana Beach.
Explore Rio de Janeiro →- 11
Trinidad
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Why Mardi Gras
Trinidad's Carnival climaxes on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~88°F (31°C); dry
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
Where we'd stay: Hyatt Regency Trinidad. Waterfront hotel with a rooftop infinity pool.
Hotels in Port of Spain → 
12Venice
Veneto, Italy
Why Mardi Gras
Carnevale di Venezia's masked balls culminate on Martedì Grasso.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~46°F (8°C); chilly, occasional acqua alta
- Crowds · season
- High during Carnival · Low (peak during Carnival)
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- romance
- city
Where we'd stay: The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel. 15th-century doge's palace on the Grand Canal.
Explore Venice →- 13
Nice
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Why Mardi Gras
The Nice Carnival and its flower-battle parades usually run through February.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~56°F (13°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- city
- beach
Where we'd stay: Hotel Le Negresco. Belle Époque palace on the Promenade des Anglais.
Hotels in Nice → - 14
Cologne
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Why Mardi Gras
Cologne's Carnival climaxes with the giant Rose Monday parade.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~43°F (6°C); cold
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- city
- culture
Where we'd stay: Excelsior Hotel Ernst. Grand hotel facing Cologne Cathedral.
Hotels in Cologne → - 15
Basel
Basel-Stadt, Switzerland
Why Mardi Gras
Basel's Fasnacht begins at 4 a.m. on the Monday after Ash Wednesday with the lantern-lit Morgestraich.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~43°F (6°C); cold
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$$
- city
- culture
Where we'd stay: Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois. Rhine-side hotel with roots dating to 1681.
Hotels in Basel → 
Quebec, Canada
Why Mardi Gras
Quebec's Winter Carnival usually runs in early-to-mid February, with night parades and ice sculptures.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~19°F (-7°C); cold, snow
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- city
- family
Where we'd stay: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. Iconic castle hotel above the St. Lawrence in Old Quebec.
Explore Quebec City →- 17
Salvador
Bahia, Brazil
Why Mardi Gras
Salvador's Carnival is one of the world's largest street parties, led by trios elétricos sound trucks.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~86°F (30°C); hot
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- beach
Where we'd stay: Fasano Salvador. Art Deco hotel with a rooftop pool over the Bay of All Saints.
Hotels in Salvador → - 18
Cádiz
Andalusia, Spain
Why Mardi Gras
Cádiz's Carnival is famous for its satirical singing groups, the chirigotas.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~61°F (16°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$
- culture
- beach
Where we'd stay: Parador de Cádiz. Seafront parador with ocean-view pools.
Hotels in Cádiz → - 19
Tenerife
Guía de Isora, Canary Islands, Spain
Why Mardi Gras
Santa Cruz de Tenerife holds one of the world's biggest Carnivals.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~70°F (21°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- High · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- beach
- family
Where we'd stay: The Ritz-Carlton, Abama. Clifftop resort with a golf course and Michelin-starred dining.
Hotels in Guía de Isora → Tuscany, Italy
Why Mardi Gras
Viareggio's Carnival is famous for giant papier-mâché floats along the seafront.
- Typical weather
- Highs ~55°F (13°C); mild
- Crowds · season
- Moderate · Peak
- Price level
- $$$
- culture
- beach
Where we'd stay: Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte. Seafront hotel on Viareggio's promenade.
Hotels in Viareggio →