NEW ORLEANS – Looks like there’s more than one splashy hotel opening this spring in downtown New Orleans.
San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced the May 11 opening of Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, a 202-room boutique hotel located in New Orleans’ Central Business District. The opening marks the brand’s return to the city after a 16-year absence.
The hotel is located at 501 Tchoupitoulas Street, the former address of the Staybridge Suites New Orleans.
Named in honor of Creole fiddle player Canray Fontenot, the new Kimpton Hotel Fontenot was designed by New York-based consulting firm MarkZeff. It features several “chef-led” food and beverage concepts, including a corner cafe and restaurant and bar.
“Our goal is to honor the city’s heritage while occupying an exciting new niche in the local hospitality scene,” said Jesseca Malecki, the hotel’s general manager, in a press release. “Every detail, from the thoughtful, purposeful music selection in the lobby to the early evening social hour and always-on programming, is an expression of the modern Southern hospitality nature of the city and its locals.”
The Hotel Fontenot’s “living room” lobby features custom art, including a butterfly installation by Paul Villinski located behind the front desk, hand-painted violins by Austrian artist Georg Bauss, and an installation of trumpet and trombone mutes on one wall. The lobby features white paneled walls and wide plank white oak wood floors with black accents. The 202 guest rooms feature a “clean and modern aesthetic accentuated by soft colors, bright and airy spaces and irreverent touches, offering a serene refuge in the heart of the city,” according to Kimpton press materials.
The hotel’s dining and cocktail concepts are led by Executive Chef Chris Lusk and Restaurant and Bar General Manager Jessica Retif. Gospel Coffee and Boozy Treats will serve coffee, teas, espresso and frozen adult beverages – as well as eat-on-the-go options. The Peacock Room, meanwhile, is a more sophisticated dining and drinking space.
Hotel Fontenot is donating $5 from every booking to The Roots of Music, a nonprofit organization that empowers young New Orleanians through music education, academic support and mentorship.