The grand hotel of New Orleans, operating since 1893 with a block-long lobby that functions as the city's most impressive interior public space and the Sazerac Bar that claims to be the birthplace of the cocktail that bears its name. The Roosevelt is now a Waldorf Astoria property, which means corporate luxury infrastructure layered over genuinely historic bones. The lobby corridor — the famous 'block-long lobby' — is worth walking through even if you are not staying or drinking, particularly at Christmas when the decorations rival any public display in America. The rooftop pool offers a panoramic view of the city that few other hotels can match.
Location
CBD, New Orleans
Insider Intel
A Sazerac at the Sazerac Bar is the essential experience — see the bar listing for details. The lobby bar offers a lighter, more casual alternative. The rooftop pool bar is the summer destination.
The Sazerac Bar is the primary reason to be here (see bar listing). At Christmas, the lobby decorations are a New Orleans institution — the displays are elaborate, traditional, and worth a special visit. The rooftop pool is the summer draw. The lobby is always worth a walk-through for the sheer scale and Art Deco detail.
Waldorf Astoria management means professional service and corporate pricing — this is luxury-hotel territory ($300-700+ per night). The Sazerac Bar is covered separately in the bars section. The Christmas decorations are legendary and draw visitors who have no intention of staying. The block-long lobby is a public space and you are welcome to walk through it regardless of hotel status. CBD location is central to everything.