Tag: New Orleans Hotels
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New Life for the W New Orleans- French Quarter
Last summer, we reported on on the W New Orleans - French Quarter's $9 million renovations, which are part of W's larger plan to update 11 of their North American properties, including outposts in Chicago, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
As the brand continues to expand internationally (new W's are popping up in Bangkok, Milan, Singapore, and Verbier), the idea seems to be to get back to what made the brand so innovative and aspirational in the first place, playing on its strengths of incorporating local elements, like food and music, into the experience. (We've also heard they hope to reinvigorate their in-house spa concept, as well, which could definitely use it.)
So if going local is the goal, then the NOLA property ought to fit right in. Set in the French Quarter (there's also another W near the Warehouse District), the property's 97 rooms were redesigned by NYC-based Nemaworkshop to reflect two iconic aspects of the city: jazz and voodoo.
Read on to take a look at some of the rooms!
Historic Hotels / Hotel News / Courtyard By Marriott Hotels / Ritz-Carlton Hotels / Marriott Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / → All Tags
Marriott Completes Its Takeover Of The Maison Blanche Building In NOLA
Plenty of time has passed since the historic Maison Blanche building first opened on Canal Street as a department store in 1908. Boy, would we have loved to have been a customer at the store in those days, picking through whatever kinds of hats, shoes, furniture and toothpaste folks used to buy in the 1900s.
These days, however, the building lives in hotel form. Two hotels, to be precise: the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, which opened in 2000, and, until recently, the Iberville Suites.
We say until recently, because the second hotel portion of the building just got taken over by Courtyard by Marriott, effectively sealing the deal on Marriott's deft usurpation of this gleaming Beaux Arts building. They must have been plotting all along!
The Smooth Operator / Hotel Suites / Room Upgrades / Manhattan Hotels / Boston Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Colombia Hotels / → All Tags
The Smooth Operator's Secret Hotel Notes
Welcome to another hotel dispatch from our special contributor, The Smooth Operator. We can't divulge his identity but we can tell you he spends about 70 percent of his time on the road, staying in all the hot hotels and checking out their restaurants and bars to see if the social scene and rooms are up to snuff. If you're deciding whether or not to take a chance on that hip boutique hotel in the city, read The Smooth Operator for his opinion first. (Or send us an email and we'll have him answer it for you!)
From The Smooth Operator: I have a list I keep in my notes section of my Blackberry keeping track of rooms I've especially liked so I can book them on return trips. They include little tips that I'd like to share with you in case you're ever staying at these places, too.
Hudson Hotel, NY (Suite 877)
The Hudson is undergoing a room-by room-reno. Hopefully, the Philippe Starck dream decor will remain in tact as best as possible. Their new rooms(make sure you ask for one in advance of your stay so you're not stuck in the old wings) have new furniture, updated wood headboards, and many with new bathroom fixtures. The custom furniture fits the tight rooms very well. Be kind to the front desk manager and you may be in for a great upgrade. It helps to say 'please'.
Hotel Packages / Girlfriend Getaways / New Orleans Hotels / Atlanta Hotels / Hotel Deals / Long Island Hotels / Laguna Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Sip, Spa, and Shop With These Girlfriend Getaway Packages
Gather your girlfriends this fall, and spend some time shopping, eating, drinking, and catching up. These hotels that are offering Girlfriend Getaway packages, designed for those who like to shop, drink,and be pampered.
Manicures, pedicures, cocktails and transportation to shopping trips within three miles of the hotel are just a few of the perks included in the Pampered Girlfriends package at the Georgian Terrace Hotel in Atlanta. Designed for a group of four, two more can be included for $75 each. Rates start at $359 per night for the group of four.
For ladies who prefer not to shop, and would rather de-stress and share plenty of laughs, the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans treats the ladies to a cocktail walking tour. Unfortunately the drinks on the tour are not free, and ladies best leave their stilettoes at home for this tour. Uneven sidewalks + alcoholic beverages + girlfriends = a major embarrassing moment in public and never hearing the end of it in the future. Eliminate that nasty old tension a little more with the included 60-minute Swedish massage. The package is $139 per day with a two-night minimum stay.
Hotel Openings / Hotel Rebrandings / New Orleans Hotels / Four Points by Sheraton / Free WiFi / → All Tags
Four Points by Sheraton is Now Open in the French Quarter
Although we are a little tardy for the party, we had to let you all know that the Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter opened its doors in June on the very party-friendly Bourbon Street.
The space formerly called the Inn on Bourbon was previously owned by Ramada. Now rebranded as The Four Points, the hotel has 186 rooms, a swimming pool, a 24-hour fitness center, copy/fax center, and free WiFi. Of course, location means everything in New Orleans, and the hotel is in the middle of the action. It’s walking distance to several of the French Quarter’s hot spots, or should we say cool spots, like the House of Blues, the Saenger Theater, Armstrong Park and the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts. Harrah’s Casino is only a mile away.
W Hotels / Hotel Uniforms / Designer Hotel Uniforms / Jay Godfrey / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags
Runway Worthy Uniforms are Coming to The W French Quarter
Ed. Note: We had to pull the images of the new uniforms per Starwood's request. When we get an approved photo we'll put it back up here!
The W New Orleans French Quarter’s $9 million snazzy new look will be unveiled in mid-August, but the styling isn’t limited to just to the hotel rooms.
It turns out that the hotel’s uniforms will also get a little updating from Jay Godfrey who has transformed the regular hotel uniforms into stylish, sleek outfits. Now, the staff will look pretty spiffy while work continues on the renovated guestrooms as well as the hotel’s new restaurant, and bar.
As you can see in the before and after photos, The staff at the W French Quarter will now wear European-style suits with a flattering slimmer shape. The guys will have skinny ties with complementing tie clips, and the ladies will wear pencil skirts with chic jackets. They can accessorize their uniforms with fashionable jewelry.
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Watch This Implosion of an Old New Orleans Hotel
Who doesn't love a good hotel implosion?
In what is likely the perfect answer to a Monday afternoon, we present the below AP video of this weekend's big hotel implosion down in New Orleans. The building, the 17-story Pallas Hotel/Grand Palace built in 1950, is being cleared to make way for a new University Medical Center, but that doesn't mean it has to go quietly.
It took 400 tons of explosives, the evacuation of 200 people in the area, the closure of an Interstate highway and much nail biting to get the structure down yesterday morning, but it all went off without a hitch. No tears here for a fallen hotel though; the place had been abandoned for years.
Historical Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
New Orleans' Historical Hotel Dining Rooms: The Sheraton-Charles
A while back on our brother site, Jaunted, we looked into how the NYC of the 1950s gave way to the NYC of today, sadly minus $1.95 steak dinners and the "famous rooms" that used to keep hotels hopping. It's important to note, however, that the famous rooms—selling a good time with dining, drinking and dancing to live music—weren't just a Big Apple exclusive.
Recently we came across a 1960 visitor's brochure for the Mississippi Coast, in which the New Orleans version of these famous rooms is advertised. We'll be focusing on a few the rest of this week.
Today, it's the Outrigger Bar & Lounge at the Sheraton-Charles Hotel.
Historical Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
New Orleans' Historical Hotel Dining Rooms: The Fontainebleau
A while back on our brother site, Jaunted, we looked into how the NYC of the 1950s gave way to the NYC of today, sadly minus $1.95 steak dinners and the "famous rooms" that used to keep hotels hopping. It's important to note, however, that the famous rooms—selling a good time with dining, drinking and dancing to live music—weren't just a Big Apple exclusive.
Recently we came across a 1960 visitor's brochure for the Mississippi Coast, in which the New Orleans version of these famous rooms is advertised. We'll be focusing on a few the rest of this week.
Today, it's the The Empire Room at The Fontainebleau.
Historical Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
New Orleans' Historical Hotel Dining Rooms: The Roosevelt
A while back on our brother site, Jaunted, we looked into how the NYC of the 1950s gave way to the NYC of today, sadly minus $1.95 steak dinners and the "famous rooms" that used to keep hotels hopping. It's important to note, however, that the famous rooms—selling a good time with dining, drinking and dancing to live music—weren't just a Big Apple exclusive.
Recently we came across a 1960 visitor's brochure for the Mississippi Coast, in which the New Orleans version of these famous rooms is advertised. We'll be focusing on a few the rest of this week.
Today, it's the The Blue Room at The Roosevelt. See what it looks like now.
Historical Hotels / New Orleans Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags
New Orleans' Historical Hotel Dining Rooms: The Pontchartrain
A while back on our brother site, Jaunted, we looked into how the NYC of the 1950s gave way to the NYC of today, sadly minus $1.95 steak dinners and the "famous rooms" that used to keep hotels hopping. It's important to note, however, that the famous rooms—selling a good time with dining, drinking and dancing to live music—weren't just a Big Apple exclusive.
Recently we came across a 1960 visitor's brochure for the Mississippi Coast, in which the New Orleans version of these famous rooms is advertised. We'll be focusing on a few the rest of this week. Today, it's the Caribbean Room at The Pontchartrain Hotel. Here is a peak at the entrance to the room.
Hotel Bars / New Orleans Hotels / Hotels with Revolving Restaurants / Hotel Design / → All Tags
Why Hotel Monteleone’s Revolving Carousel Bar Makes Us Sing
Hotel Monteleone's Carousel Bar in one of it early incarnations, circa 1970
We’ve never denied our love for revolving restaurants, even in the face of risky business. But our love for revolving restos really extends to all things revolutionary at hotels, including bars (is there a better way to see all the liquor?). And our latest fixation took us to New Orleans where the Hotel Monteleone’s historic Carousel Bar and Lounge is now fresh as ever.
Earlier this year, the 63-year old Carousel Bar completed a huge renovation that basically blew out the dark and drab, and replaced it with fresh colors and updates, including a new pewter bar under a more brightly lit carousel top. It still rotates at a snails pace, but what are you gonna do? When drinking is involved, that seems just about the right speed.
