Sleep over at a gem of a New Orleans hotel
Maison Métier in New Orleans was formerly part of the Ace Hotel family, having opened as Maison de la Luz to be the group’s first luxury offering in 2019. After being taken over by Hyatt however, the property was reimagined and reopened as Maison Métier in June 2024.
Tucked away on Carondelet Street in the Warehouse District, the building itself is a beauty, with a grand columned entrance and a double sweeping staircase in the lobby. The check-in desk, with its bright blue key pigeon hole has a little hint of Wes Anderson, and we loved the spacious lobby lounge, offering up fresh iced tea every afternoon.
Rooms are plush and beautifully designed – blue velvet headboards, custom wallpaper, antique accents, and a calming, creamy colour palette. Even the smallest rooms come with luxurious beds and spa-like bathrooms, but if you’re after a splurge, the suites give you loads more space. We stayed in a King Grand Corner Studio, which came with big arched windows on two sides and huge ceilings that flooded the room with light during the day. It felt more like an apartment than a hotel room, with TV, coffee table, a vintage-style writing desk, and a proper little lounge area with sofas and armchairs.
We loved Salon Salon, a hidden bar and restaurant tucked behind a secret entrance just off the lobby, that was created in collaboration with Paris’ Quixotic Projects. It’s moody and intimate, all low lighting, leather banquettes, and regular live music (this is New Orleans after all). The cocktails are great and the menu leans French with a New Orleans twist – think oysters, BBQ shrimp, devilled eggs, frogs legs, and crab au gratin. Even if you’re not staying, it’s worth stopping by for a drink and some snacks here.
There’s no gym or pool at Métier, but you can use the facilities at The Barnett just over the road, including the rooftop pool. The Barnett was previously an Ace Hotel and was taken over by Hyatt at the same time, so the two are closely connected. The pool isn’t huge but the roof terrace itself has plenty of space, lots of sun loungers and an outdoor bar. Though watch out for those New Orleans thunderstorms on the horizon, as you’ll find the rooftop closed when they’re expecting bad weather.
Maison Métier has a great location too. The Warehouse District is an easy walk away from the French Quarter, but far enough away to escape the crowds. It’s a neighbourhood filled with galleries, coffee shops, and indie boutiques, plus you’re within walking distance of some of the city’s best restaurants. We particularly enjoyed our blowout fine-dining dinner at Emeril’s and a the excellent seafood at Pêche.
Maison Métier is a total gem and should be high on your New Orleans hit list.
Rooms from approx. £220 per night
546 Carondelet Street, New Orleans
maisonmetier.com