New Orleans has everything I love – incredibly good food, readily available cocktails, and music that makes me think I can dance. I also love staying in hotels, and this year is bringing some new entrants to the NOLA hotel scene that I believe are good additions to a city already full of options. You can never have too much of a good thing, right?
While it appears that the vast majority of us will be staying closer to home this year, New Orleans is an easy and excellent choice for a stateside trip. It is different than anywhere else in the US and the city is ready to welcome us back to the Big Easy.
Here’s my roundup of a half-dozen of the best new hotel offerings in New Orleans.
Hotel St Vincent
This new property located in the Lower Garden District is opening in a renovated landmark 1861 building once home to a children’s orphanage. The hotel’s amenities include a swimming pool, lobby bar, and The Chapel Club, a guest-only private lounge. The signature restaurant is San Lorenzo, named for the patron saint of cooks, serving coastal Italian food inspired by the ingredients and dishes of the Mediterranean and influenced by the rich culinary history of New Orleans. Also located on property will be a second outpost of Elizabeth Street Café, the perennial favorite French bakery and Vietnamese café from Austin. (75 Rooms)
1507 Magazine Street
Phone 504-350-2450
https://www.saintvincentnola.com
Virgin Hotel New Orleans
This new-build property is located in the Warehouse District, directly next to the Central Business District and close to a growing number of new restaurants, galleries, and shops. The property will feature multiple dining and drinking outlets including the brand’s signature Commons Club and Funny Library Coffee Shop, a rooftop Pool Club, and an onsite gym and fitness center. (238 rooms)
550 Baronne Street
Phone 504-603-8000
https://www.virginhotels.com/new-orleans/
Four Seasons Hotel & Residences
The first Four Seasons-branded property in New Orleans is located in the iconic World Trade Center building at the base of Canal Street on the banks of the Mississippi River. To one side, you will find the French Quarter and to the other, the historic Warehouse District. The property includes two restaurants, a lobby-level Chandelier Bar, a full spa and fitness center, an outdoor pool overlooking the Mississippi River, and 92 private residences located on the top floors of the structure. A two-story roof-top cupola will be a public observation floor and roof deck. (341 rooms)
2 Canal Street
Phone 504-434-5100
https://www.fourseasons.com/neworleans/
One11 Hotel
One11 is a boutique property located in a former sugar warehouse in the historic French Quarter and just steps away from the Mississippi River. The revitalization of this landmark building at 111 Iberville is the first new hotel allowed to open in the Vieux Carré in over 50 years. Featured amenities include a lobby bar and art gallery, an indoor/outdoor bistro, a swimming pool, a courtyard with outdoor fireplace, and a rooftop with panoramic views of the French Quarter and Mississippi River. (83 rooms)
111 Iberville Street
Phone 504-699-8100
The Chloe
The Chloe is a small boutique property housed in a Victorian mansion on St Charles Avenue in Uptown. It has everything a genuine boutique hotel should: beautifully appointed rooms, good food, excellent cocktails, and intimate service. Amenities include a signature restaurant serving modern Creole cuisine, a tropical oasis pool area, and an intimate lobby bar. (14 rooms)
4125 St Charles Avenue
Phone 504-541-5500
Kimpton Hotel Fontenot
This new property by Kimpton Hotels pays homage to Creole fiddle player Canray Fontenot and the city’s rich musical history. It is located in a converted existing hotel on the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas Streets convenient to the French Quarter, Central Business District, and the Warehouse District. The hotel’s amenities include the opulent Peacock Room, all-day dining at the Gospel Coffee & Boozy Treats Cafe, PUBLIC bike rentals, an onsite fitness center, and Kimpton’s famous pet-friendly policy. (202 rooms)
501 Tchoupitoulas Street
Phone 504-571-1818
Don’t forget to check out my recommendations on how to choose the perfect hotel here.
