Short Stay: Ritz-Carlton, Maison Orleans, New Orleans – Hotel Review
Is a Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans a contradiction in terms? In a city where quirkiness and outrageousness is a calling card, the calm, cool Ritz-Carlton stands out with panache.
Set in a beautifully restored 1913 Art Nouveau former Kress department store and the 1908 Beaux-Arts Maison Blanche, also a former department store, the hotel houses a vast art collection
My travel companion and I arrived by taxi at the hotel on a sunny afternoon and were warmly welcomed by the doorman. He directed us to the reception desk where check-in formalities took minutes and we then proceeded to the Club Lounge to access the private elevator for the Club Level floors.
We arrived on the Club Level just as refreshments were being served but opted to proceed to our room first and then return for a light snack.
THE ROOM
Our Club King was part of Maison Orleans, the name the hotel bestowed on its club level. The spacious room featured wood floors throughout and the floor-to-ceiling windows were designed so as to keep street noises from intruding.
The room screamed gracious New Orleans living, from the marble entry foyer to the high ceilings to the demi-canopied king-size bed. The bed itself was very comfortable, and I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the challenges of the day.