NEW ORLEANS – Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, has announced the opening of its New Orleans resort at 203 Carondelet St. The historic property, originally built in 1893 as New Orleans’ first skyscraper, was acquired by Holiday Inn Club Vacations in 2019 and converted into a 105-villa resort. The company hired 45 new team members.
“Despite the many challenges caused by the pandemic, we remained hopeful and excited to open this incredible resort,” said Tom Nelson, Holiday Inn Club Vacations CEO. “With a historic building, a beautifully reimagined interior that blends modern design with classic details and an iconic mural that fits right into the unique and lively New Orleans arts scene, our first urban property brings the best of the Big Easy to our growing network of resorts.”
One block from Bourbon Street, the resort offers full-size villas with one- and two-bedroom layouts that include kitchens and living rooms. The first floor of the resort contains a marketplace and the Maritime Bar & Lounge, a full-service bar that is expected to open later this year. On the building’s top floor, there is a fitness center, outdoor dipping pool and rooftop terrace.
Spanning more than 40 feet wide and totaling more than 350 square feet in size, the resort lobby boasts a large mural that pays homage to the history and culture of New Orleans. The mural was sketched and painted by award-winning artist Mila Sketch. Kevin Zevchik and the team at Zanim8tion – VIOSO America added projection mapping technology and soundscapes. Using eight synchronized projectors, the mural creates a three-minute show that plays at the top of every hour, daily from 1 p.m. through 11 p.m. local time. Locals and resort guests will be able to spot many nods to the Big Easy on the mural, including jazz music, arts and cuisine, architecture and nearby landscapes.
In addition to its commitment to the IHG Clean Promise, Holiday Inn Club Vacations is following Safe Travels, a program that delivers higher safety and cleanliness standards to resort properties. Safe Travels brings many protocols and safety measures – including a virtual check-in queue, required use of face coverings in public spaces and door seals to signal that guests are the first to enter the villa after it was cleaned and sanitized, among others – to the New Orleans Resort.
“We are pleased to welcome Holiday Inn Club Vacations to New Orleans, especially in 2021 as we begin to recover from the impacts of COVID-19,” said Mark Romig, APR, SVP and chief marketing officer of New Orleans & Company. “This grand opening gives us much-needed positive news and reminds the world that New Orleans will always be one of America’s top destinations for culture, history and family fun.”
In honor of the newly opened resort, Holiday Inn Club Vacations pledged $5,000 to Tres Doux Foundation, a local nonprofit organization and driving force behind Beignet Fest that aims to celebrate, embrace and enhance the lives of children with developmental delays and disabilities.
For more information, visit holidayinnclub.com/explore-resorts/new-orleans-resort.
