Let the good times roll in luxurious style at the recently unveiled Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans.
The stunning Chandelier Bar beckons just off the lobby.
From incredible dining and world-class music to an irrepressibly joyful attitude toward life, New Orleans is a nonstop feast for the senses—and its main banquet table is the historic French Quarter, where revelers eat, drink, party and play at every hour of the day. It’s easy to overindulge, but on a recent visit to the Crescent City, we found a sublimely soothing retreat from the scene just a few blocks away: the just-debuted Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans.
Bathrooms are generously sized and boast luxe marble finishes.
The location has serious history: Hugging the bank of the Mississippi River steps from the Quarter, the hotel and residences (341 rooms and suites and 92 condos) is set in the 1967 World Trade Center building, a downtown landmark that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and, at 34 stories, one of New Orleans’ tallest structures. It has also sat empty since the building’s closure in 2011, making its renaissance as one of the city’s most luxurious hospitality destinations that much sweeter. “The building itself is something to celebrate,” says Mali Carow, the property’s general manager. “There is so much soul in this building that you can feel it when you step inside.”
Indulgent clay pot dirty rice is a highlight at Miss River
The building’s exterior is staid, but the vibe inside is decidedly inviting, with sophisticated surroundings that exude a healthy dose of Creole flair. In the lobby, all eyes are immediately drawn to the stunning Chandelier Bar, which earns its name with a showstopping central fixture dripping in 15,000 crystals; walls are covered in work by renowned local and national artists like John Alexander and Leonardo Drew. Just beyond beckons bistro-chic Miss River, one of two on-site restaurants, this one helmed by James Beard Award winner Alon Shaya (the other, fifth-floor Chemin a la Mer, is led by fellow Beard winner Donald Link). Billed as Shaya’s “love letter to Louisiana,” Miss River had us smitten by meal’s end. Even in a city where it’s nigh impossible to have a bad meal, our dinner—from decadent blue crab au gratin to clay pot dirty rice that had us scraping the last bits from the bowl—had us enraptured from start to finish.
A bartender mixes up a French 75.
And that’s just the start of the Four Seasons New Orleans’ charms. The generously sized rooms boast marble bathrooms and stylish riverboat-inspired shiplap walls; the spa tempts with Triple Lift facials and Southern Gentleman massages (perfect after a night of revelry); and the must-visit observation deck on the 34th floor offers unsurpassed river and city views. Best of all, everything is within easy strolling distance of the heart of the French Quarter, making it even easier to have the poshest Big Easy weekend ever.
Photography by: Bar photo by Denny Culbert; other photos
by Christian Horan/courtesy of Four Seasons
