NEW ORLEANS – The Sheraton New Orleans Hotel has transformed several traditional guest rooms into private office spaces with impressive views of downtown New Orleans and the Mississippi River.
The idea for the pivot came from the hotel’s guests, whose needs changed dramatically when COVID-19 arrived.
“At the beginning of the pandemic, people began reserving guest rooms for a day as alternative office space,” said Scott Jernstrom, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “They needed somewhere quieter to conduct business. That prompted us to start thinking about an option where they could rent a room configured as an office for a month at a time at a price point similar to leasing small office space.”
Jernstrom said it’s important to get creative when you’re responsible for putting 1100 guest rooms to use during a global pandemic.
“The Sheraton previously depended primarily on group business with leisure guests primarily on the weekends,” he said. “COVID changed the entire meetings industry. Transient business is a new world for us. So, we’ve had to pivot like every other business segment.”
Even though there are signs the city’s hospitality industry is rebooting, it’s safe to assume the city’s hoteliers will continue to think outside the box.
“While visitors are starting to arrive again now, we’ve spent almost a year with few guests,” said Jernstrom. “We missed three festival seasons and Mardi Gras, something that was unthinkable before 2020. From a business perspective, we’ve learned to expect the unexpected. While we’re looking forward to filling our hotel again, we expect to continue being creative and flexible for the foreseeable future.”
The Sheraton Office Club rooms include:
- Wi-fi
- Access to communal printers
- Onsite FedEx service
- Access to the Sheraton Club Lounge for snacks and drinks
- In-room bathrooms
- Daily housekeeping
- Fitness center access
- Discounted valet parking
- Board and conference room arrangements
- Starbucks on site
Click here for more information.
