Liz Lambert's restoration of an 1861 orphanage on Magazine Street into a design hotel that treats the building's history with the same seriousness as its aesthetics. The conversion is meticulous: the original architecture is preserved and accentuated, the pool is a destination in itself, and Bar Marilou — the French-inspired cocktail bar — operates with an ambition that elevates it beyond hotel-bar status. The Garden District location on Magazine Street puts you in the centre of the city's best shopping and gallery corridor. The design details reward close attention: hardware, tile work, lighting fixtures chosen by someone who understands that a hotel's personality lives in its particulars.
Location
Lower Garden District, New Orleans
Insider Intel
Bar Marilou for French-inspired cocktails in a room that justifies the prices. Elizabeth Street Cafe for coffee and pastries in the morning. The pool bar for afternoon drinks. The hotel's food and drink programme is comprehensive enough that you could eat and drink exclusively here and not feel deprived.
Book pool access in advance — it sells out, especially on weekends. Late afternoon drinks in the courtyard or at Bar Marilou are the optimal use of the hotel's atmosphere. The Magazine Street location means you walk out the door into galleries, shops, and restaurants. Avoid peak festival pricing unless committed.
Liz Lambert (the Austin hotelier behind Hotel San Jose and El Cosmico) brings her design sensibility to a building with genuine New Orleans history. The 1861 orphanage conversion is respectful and stunning. Bar Marilou is worth visiting even if not staying. Pool access is limited and books up — plan ahead. Magazine Street location is walkable to the Garden District and Lower Garden District. Rates range $250-600.