I have stayed at a couple of B&B's before and they vary in routine and Inn keeper involvement but have always had a focus on HOSPITALITY.
Never have I been treated so poorly by someone who was supposed to be providing me with a service. I was staying in New Orleans for a friends wedding and took over one of the wedding parties’ reservations at the B&B when they decided not to come. On arrival the B&B itself was cute and has a great collection of local art. But that’s where the charm ends.
The Inn keeper was brash and seemed only concerned with money and who owed her what. So much so, that when I checked in she hit me up for cash for the second half of the reservation and wouldn’t take a card because she would get a fee for running a second charge. After scrounging through our wallets we came up with $74 of the $75 due. She said that would be fine for the night but she would need us to get her that dollar tomorrow.
She switched me from the room I was supposed to be in that had a King sized bed to one with a full size, which made for a COZY stay for me and my boyfriend. The following day one of the toilets backed up in the house. She yelled at some other members of the wedding party that were staying there about messing up her toilet and how much it cost her to get the toilet snaked and now she didn’t make any money on them. Really?!
Long story short, for the 3 days we were all there, the B&B was given the name “Grandma’s House”. In a way it forced us to see a lot of New Orleans as first time visitors to the city. As a group we all tried to stay out of the house as much as possible and pretty much went back to shower and sleep. It was not a comfortable, guest oriented environment. You felt like you were an unwanted burden in someone’s home.

Lastly, according to some Louisiana state law the Inn keeper can’t actually cook breakfast for their guests. So the Bywater B&B is actually only a B!

My boyfriend and I stayed there for a week last March. Our plane was delayed and we didn't get to the B&B until way past midnight. But the hostess (Betty-Carol?)was very kind; she stayed up and waited for us and didn't give us any trouble (she stays in a tiny house behind the B&B). For most of our stay, she kept to herself, but was very responsive when we asked for suggestions.

Good stuff: 1) awesome prices for the nice room and huge, comfortable bed (Mardi Gras room); 2) beautiful, clean interior and nice folk arts & paintings; 3) lots of cool students / artists and studios, trendy shops around the area (you will see it en route to the French Quarters); 4) for a few days, we were the only guests in the B&B. We had the living area (couches, art and guide books), kitchen (can't cook in there, but we can use the dining table), and bathroom (spotless) to ourselves. Normally, I believe you share it with other guests; 5) the porch area is nice to sit and people-watch; 6) One gets to experience where people in N.O actually live and work as opposed to the tacky, tourist-oriented styles in the French Quarter.

Bad Stuff: 1) It's a mile and so from the French Quarters. My bf and I walked each morning for about 20 minutes to get to the far edge of French Quarter. The walk is not bad if it's sunny and not so humid. If you want to be in the middle of all the action and partying, you might not want to stay here. The cab ride is about 10 bucks, which is what we paid each night when we got home late; 2) I live in Harlem, but I still thought the B&B's neighborhood is shady. I wasn't scared or anything, but if you're used to the suburbs or yuppie areas, you might not feel comfortable; 3) our room did not have windows that we can open. The ceiling fans were fine, but it would've been even nicer to have fresh air. It can get a bit stuffy. 4) They don't serve actual breakfasts, but always left out fresh fruits, biscuits, and juice for us. There's an amazing restaurant about 5/6 blocks away (Elizabeth's, I believe. It's soooo yummy) to make up for this unfortunate fact.

Overall, we had a *great* time with New Orleans and with Bywater B&B. We were low-key, just trying to absorb New Orleans culture.