InterContinental New Orleans

This 15-floor modern, upscale hotel is geared toward corporate travelers with a lobby that features brown and gold classic designs, chandeliers, and lounge areas divided by sheer curtains hanging from the ceiling. A $26 million renovation was completed in 2014. It was the first time this hotel, located on the site of the 19th-century St. Charles Theater, was updated since it opened in 1984. Healthy snacks and chilled water are provided the front desk in the lobby. InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Rewards Members have a private check-in counter. Colorful paintings of Jazz musicians hang on the walls in the lobby and a touch-screen TV lists a calendar of events. At the center of the hotel is a courtyard, featuring a lovely sculpture with flower tiles. Conventions are typically held here, so elevator service can be slow and the driveway is often cluttered with cars waiting to be parked by valet -- but the ambiance is nonetheless quiet. 

Located in the Central Business District, this hotel is on the busy St. Charles Streetcar line. There are a few shops and restaurants near the hotel and the French Quarter -- where visitors can find the lively Bourbon Street, beignets at the Cafe Du Monde, and the St. Louis Cathedral -- is within walking distance. A few blocks from the hotel is the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium and Mississippi River. Also in walking distance is the Mercedes-Benz Superdome and National WWII Museum. Parking is available in a garage next door and valet is offered on-site, but it’s pricey, so most opt to not rent a car. Jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street are 15 minutes away by cab. Driving to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport takes 30 minutes. 

The vibe in rooms is classic with a French twist. Renovated in 2014, rooms feature gold patterned carpeting, French-style headboards, New Orleans street photography, silver lamps, and power outlet towers on desks. Balconies with courtyard views are available in rooms and suites. Layouts vary from Superior Rooms, with 300 square feet of space, to three Presidential Suites that offer 2,100 (or more) square feet of space, living/dining rooms, and kitchens. Vice Presidential Suites also have kitchens. One-bedroom suites offer sofa beds in separate living rooms, and some have one and a half bathrooms, wet bars, and whirlpool tubs. Junior Suites have sitting areas. 

Rooms feature minibars, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, Keurig coffeemakers, safes, bathrobes, and irons. Accessible Rooms offer roll-in showers and ADA fixtures. With gold wallpaper and gray mosaic tiles, bathrooms are stylish and feature external sinks, hairdryers, walk-in showers and/or shower/tub combos.

The biggest draw at the InterContinental New Orleans is the conference space with 19 meeting rooms for up to 1,000 people, including a ballroom that overlooks St. Charles Avenue. A grand staircase leads to the meeting rooms with an elegant foyer that features an atrium ceiling. Secretarial services are available 24 hours a day in the business center. The seasonal pool is on the 15th floor with lounge chairs and poolside dining/drink service. Unfortunately there isn’t a hot tub. With windows facing the pool, the 24-hour large gym features mini-TVs on modern cardio machines, free weights, and yoga mats.

Two stylishly designed restaurants and bars serve Louisiana fare: fowl gumbo, Pepper Jack grits, and Bananas Foster French toast. Pete’s features purple velvet chairs in a dimly-lit dining room with a dessert case outside the entrance. Chef Jim Richard oversees Trenasse, a laid-back restaurant and bar with patio dining. In the lobby is a gift shop selling snacks, New Orleans souvenirs, and sundries.