Bourbon Orleans Hotel completes major historic renovation | New Orleans CityBusiness

The more than 200-year-old Bourbon Orleans Hotel has a new look, and following a comprehensive renovation, the hotel management companies hope the modernization of the storied landmark will re-envision the guest experience while honoring the property’s storied past.

“We are thrilled to breathe new life into this historic landmark,” said Chris Warner, general manager of Bourbon Orleans. “This renovation not only reinvests in the property, but in the legacy of New Orleans hospitality.”

The extensive refresh includes more than 200 redesigned guest rooms and suites, including a Bourbon Suite with a large balcony that overlooks Bourbon St. and a French Quarter Suite with a large balcony that overlooks St. Ann Street. The lobby has been reimagined, the courtyard pool area elevated, public spaces revitalized, and dining experiences enhanced, including Bourbon O Bar, known for its live jazz and crafted cocktails. The Orleans Ballroom and Foyer have been transformed, now seating up to 200 guests, and inspired by the building’s architectural heritage – offering views of Orleans Street and the St. Louis Cathedral.

“Guests can expect a seamless blend of classic French Quarter architecture with sophisticated, contemporary design,” said Warner.

The Bourbon Orleans (717 Orleans St.) is owned by Maryland-based DiamondRock Hospitality Company and managed by Texas-based Aimbridge Hospitality. DiamondRock is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns a portfolio of 36 premium quality hotels and resorts with approximately 9,600 rooms. Aimbridge Hospitality is a global third-party hotel management company, managing over 80 lodging brands and distinctive luxury and lifestyle assets. In 2021, DiamondRock purchased the Bourbon Orleans for $81 million from the late New Orleans hotelier and developer Joe Jaeger. Jaeger and his partners purchased Bourbon Orleans in 2003 from Wyndham International, Inc.

The Bourbon Orleans property dates to the early 1800’s when in 1806, construction began on the original Théâtre d’Orléans, but the War of 1812 delayed the opening until 1815. In 1816, the theatre was destroyed by a fire, and in 1817, entrepreneur John Davis purchased the land to rebuild the Théâtre d’Orléans and add the Orleans Ballroom, designed by British-born architect Henry Latrobe, designer of the U.S. Capitol.

Fifty years later, in 1866, a destructive fire struck again, destroying the Theatre but sparing the Ballroom. By 1881, both the Orleans Theater and Ballroom were acquired by the Sisters of the Holy Family for use as a school, orphanage, and convent, where they remained for 83 years.

In 1964, the Sisters of the Holy Family sold the property to the Bourbon Kings Hotel Corporation, which got approval from the City and the Vieux Carre Commission to develop a $7 million hotel, restore the former Orleans Ballroom building, and to construct a new building on the site of the former asylum for orphan girls at the corner of Bourbon and Orleans Streets.

Due to its long, varied history and its ties to a convent, girls’ school, medical ward, and orphanage, the Bourbon Orleans actually ranks among the “Top 10 Most Haunted Hotels in the U.S.” according to USA Today. Apparitions reportedly seen in the hotel include a Confederate soldier on the third and sixth floors, ghost children and nuns from the former convent and orphanage, as well as a ghostly figure dancing under the ballroom’s crystal chandelier.