Just beyond the walls of the
Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans, Bourbon Street, the St. Louis Cathedral, and the
many other attractions of the French Quarter beckon. But you need not leave the
Ritz’s century-old, 14-story structure on Canal Street to experience the soul of
the city: its people. Several nights each week, Marva Wright, also known as the
Blues Queen of New Orleans, sings in the hotel’s On Trois lounge; trumpeter
Jeremy Davenport performs jazz standards at the Mélange restaurant; and
mixologist Chris McMillian concocts classic cocktails and delivers spirited
stories in the Library Lounge.
 Photograph by Mark Wieland.
The Ritz-Carlton opened just five years before Hurricane
Katrina hit
New Orleans in August 2005. Devastated by floodwaters, the property,
like so much of the city, was forced to shut down. While areas of New
Orleans
still are struggling to rebuild, the Ritz is back and better
than ever.
After a 15-month closure and a $105 million renovation, the
Ritz reopened late last year. The hotel has retained its French Quarter
ambience, with crystal chandeliers, 19th-century furnishings, Oriental rugs, and
oil paintings throughout the public spaces. On Trois, located on the third
floor, is appointed in pale gold colors and serves such bite-size regional
specialties as rémoulade, lobster, and crawfish.
 The Maison Orleans, a hotel within the Ritz, occupies the
fourth through ninth floors and houses 75 accommodations with hardwood floors,
Louis XVI–style furnishings, and ceiling fans. Guests staying at the Maison
Orleans are greeted upon arrival with a glass of Champagne and escorted to a
magnolia-scented, antebellum-style sitting room. There, a seersucker-clad
concierge—your personal attendant for the duration of your stay—checks you in
and initiates your introduction to the new New Orleans.
LOCATION On Canal Street in the French Quarter.
ACCOMMODATIONS Among the 527 rooms are 36 suites, the largest of which is a
2,800-square-foot space on the top floor. The fourth through ninth stories are
home to the Maison Orleans, or Club Level (74 rooms and one suite), where guests
enjoy personal concierge service.
FACILITIES The newly renovated spa comprises 22 treatment rooms, a fitness
center, an indoor swimming pool, and a café. The Mercier Terrace and the Grand
and Lafayette ballrooms can be reserved for events, the second-floor boardroom
and various salons for meetings.
DINING Executive chef Peter Moore prepares regional favorites at
Mélange, where live jazz contributes to a supper-club atmosphere. (Call ahead to
reserve the chef’s table in the kitchen or a private dining room that seats 12.)
The French Quarter Bar and the Library Lounge stir up classic cocktails, while
On Trois is an ideal spot for Saturday afternoon tea.
CONCIERGE RECOMMENDS A helicopter trip to the Gulf of Mexico, where you spend the day
deep-sea fishing on a chartered craft. That night, chef Moore will cook your
catch for dinner.
RATES From $400 to $4,000.
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