Exciting news from the Big Easy today: Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to debut a Le Méridien hotel in New Orleans. When it opens in Fall 2014, Le Méridien New Orleans will be within walking distance from the French Quarter.
The hotel, which currently operates under Starwood’s W brand, was recently sold by the company to Chesapeake Lodging Trust for $65 million this past April. Chesapeake will begin the comprehensive $29 million renovation and conversion in April 2014 and complete the project by the end of the fourth quarter.
Le Méridien New Orleans will have 410 guestrooms (all of which will undergo renovation) as well as an upgraded fitness center, rooftop pool and more than 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting facilities, ideal for weddings and business functions. The hotel’s restaurant and lounge, along with all other public areas, will also be updated and refurbished.
The property will also include the Le Méridien Hub experience, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange. The space also builds on the brand’s arrival experience and coffee culture, with large-scale artwork in high impact areas (to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity); the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Méridien signature scent, sound and use of light; the UNLOCK ART program, featuring LM100 artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Méridien affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack.
Located at 333 Poydras Street, Le Méridien New Orleans will be located near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and just a few blocks from the boutiques, art galleries and jazz clubs in the French Quarter as well as the Riverwalk Marketplace, Harrah’s Casino and the Warehouse District. The hotel is Chesapeake Lodging Trust’s fifth Starwood property, joining W New Orleans – French Quarter, W Chicago – City Center, W Chicago – Lakeshore and Le Méridien San Francisco.