Tucked away in the Lower Garden District in New Orleans, Hotel Saint Vincent is without doubt one of our favourite hotels we’ve ever stayed in
The building dates back to 1861 when it opened as an orphanage, but thanks to a full-scale renovation by hotelier Liz Lambert (of Austin’s Hotel San José and Marfa’s El Cosmico), it’s been completely reimagined as a vibrant, design-forward beauty. From the moment we arrived through the ornate wrought iron gates and into the lush courtyard, we were positively swooning at every turn.
We stayed in one of the Superior Suites, and we absolutely loved the maximalist, colourful, bold design which had a dose of retro Wes Anderson sensibilities, but was totally its own. You won’t find whitewashed walls and plain furniture here, oh no. Instead there’s high ceilings, vintage-inspired furniture, big bright colours, and art-filled walls.
There’s a beautiful bathroom clad in bright coral pink tiles and floral wallpaper, and with absolutely the best bathtub we’ve ever seen – a curvaceous chunky thing that absolutely owned the space. Then there’s the big sitting room with funky purple velvet sofa, red cocktail cabinet and cool retro 60s lamps, and a private balcony overlooking the leafy streets below. If all that sounds like an overload, it isn’t – it’s all incredibly well done, without feeling overly curated.
Throughout the rest of the hotel there’s a real sense of fun and hospitality too, as seen in the excellent restaurants and bars. San Lorenzo, the main dining room, offers a breezy Italian menu with a Southern twist — highlights include the lobster capellini and the veal Milanese. There’s also Paradise Lounge, a nice bar and lounge off the lobby that serves up craft cocktails in plush velvet surroundings, and Elizabeth Street Café, the NOLA outpost of the renowned Austin Vietnamese café and bakery, located just off the pool. It’s open from breakfast through dinner and also serves a few natural wines, so you can grab a bottle and drink it on your balcony. There’s also the guest-only Chapel Club cocktail bar too, but sadly it was closed for a private event when we tried to go. Definitely worth checking out if you have better luck.
The courtyard pool area is another highlight, with striped loungers, palm trees, and relaxed atmosphere that makes it just as good for a quiet dip as it is for a sunny afternoon drink. There’s also a small gym if you’re looking to run off some of those po’ boys, though we found wandering around the Garden District and gawping at the next-level mansions the best way to stay active.
There’s a lot of great hotels in New Orleans but Hotel Saint Vincent took it to the next level for us in terms of design and vibe. It should definitely be high on your hit list when planning a trip to N’awlins.
1507 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
saintvincentnola.com
