REVIEW: Le Meridien New Orleans – The Newest Luxury Hotel in the City

So i’ve been to New Orleans a few times, and have had the pleasure of staying at quite a few hotels there.  This one, is so far, one of my favorite.  Let me tell you why.  It’s NEW!  This used to be the W New Orleans (not to be confused with the W New Orleans in the French Quarter).  The last time I visited this property it was back in 2014 and it was definitely showing its age.  The renovation on the property and rebranding of it as a Le Meridien happened within the last year in 2016, and when I say renovation, I don’t mean a fresh coat of paint and some lipstick.  SPG pulled out all the stops on this one, gutting the building and changing the entire layout of the common spaces.

The result, as you can see below… Is stunning!

This is the front desk. It's nice.
This is the front desk. It’s nice.

You are greeted by stunning textures, surfaces, the combination of marble, antique wood, and mirrored surfaces is something that is a nice juxtaposition from the city of New Orleans, which itself has lots of character, but is older and antique in character.

The lobby is a great place to have a coffee, a drink (which you can walk around with in NOLA – just like in Vegas), and relax.

Yup. That's an awesome lobby area too. Cozy, visually interesting, and thoroughly relaxing
Yup. That’s an awesome lobby area too. Cozy, visually interesting, and thoroughly relaxing

The rooms themselves have gone through some pretty significant renovations.  They have beautiful bathrooms in particular, with minimalist countertops and low edge sinks – my personal favorite.  The building itself is pretty tall and centralized, next to the Harrah’s casino and only about 5 blocks away from Bourbon street.

The very sexy renovated bathrooms - if you can't tell i'm a big fan
The very sexy renovated bathrooms – if you can’t tell i’m a big fan

 

This is one of the smaller suites, notice the views, the textured walls, and the bright lighting
This is one of the smaller suites, notice the views, the textured walls, and the bright lighting

To top it off, the service is top notch, it is definitely a hotel where you get a great value, and the gym up top really takes the cake, with 360 degree views (if you actually decide to workout while you’re in NOLA).

 

PROS:

  • Newly renovated, it’s a great place to be! (2016)
  • It’s got a great lobby to hangout in, with indoor and outdoor spaces
  • Prices are highly competitive

CONS:

  • Some would say location, since it’s not directly on Bourbon Street, but this can be a personal preference

SECRETS:

  • The hotel has high capacity, so more likely than not you can ask for a late check-in and then ask for a higher floor with a great view

THINGS TO DO IN THE AREA:

  • Everyone knows that New Orleans is the city of food and soul, and I highly recommend having breakfast over at the Ruby Slipper Cafe
  • Of course there’s the requisite Cafe Du Monde
  • And lastly, Commander’s Palace – with old school group waiters/waitresses and good ol’ southern fare
  • But, the one thing you NEVER want to miss, is a ride on an airboat to go into the swamps and see some Alligators.  They’re harder to spot in the winter time as the water gets cold, but if you choose a tour company that tends to take their airboats out on the side of the Gulf you’re likely to see more of them.  Airboat Adventures is one of those tour companies I highly recommend! (I’ve had bad luck with others)