We have reviewed hotels in New Orleans, Louisiana, with the best club or executive lounges. Whether you are traveling as a couple, a family, or as a single business traveler, by reviewing each of these club lounges, in turn, I conclude which hotel club lounge comes in at the top and which hotel you should pick for the best club lounge in New Orleans.
New Orleans is a richly cultured Louisiana city on the Mississippi River near the Gulf of Mexico. It’s known for its round-the-clock nightlife, vibrant live-music scene, and spicy cuisine, mixing French, African, and American flavors. The Mardi Gras is a late-winter carnival famed for costumed parades and street parties.
If you want to stay in luxury in New Orleans, Louisiana, you should stay at one of the luxury hotels in the area, which include NOPSI Hotel, New Orleans, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans (which has a club lounge), The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel (part of the Hilton group but without a club lounge), Windsor Court Hotel, W New Orleans – French Quarter and the InterContinental (which, unusually does not have a club lounge).
There is also the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, which used to have a club lounge but doesn’t anymore, so you probably do better booking into the Roosevelt if you collect Hilton honors. Book via our luxury travel concierge for a bunch of extra free benefits at The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel. At the Hilton, if you are a premium Diamond or Gold Hilton Honours member, you get $10 USD credit (per person), which is sufficient for the continental offerings at the hotel restaurant, Le Croissant. For the hot offerings, it is an additional $9 USD. There are also JW Marriott, Sheraton hotels, and other Bonvoy properties in New Orleans.
I have compiled a list below containing the club lounges available across luxury hotels in New Orleans. I list the lounges that I consider to be the best of the best. I will be reviewing each of these hotel club lounges in detail in turn so that you know what you’ll get if you book a room with club lounge access or get upgraded to a club lounge for free because of your loyalty status.
1. The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans
The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans is in the perfect location in New Orleans and is actually just across the street from the far less luxury Courtyard by Marriott. It’s right on Canal Street on the edge of the French Quarter and a block from all the action on Bourbon Street but hidden away so that you can enjoy a quiet drink in the hotel’s gas-lantern-lit courtyard. For more manic action, the hotel is a 5-minute walk to Harrah’s Casino and Jackson Square and a 15-minute walk to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and the Superdome.
The hotel is probably your best luxury choice in New Orleans, at least until the new Four Seasons New Orleans opens in 2020. This Ritz-Carlton feels like a beautiful historic mansion. The historic, almost palatial rooms at this Ritz-Carlton include 415 Deluxe Rooms, 3 Balcony Suites, 31 Executive Suites, 74 Club Level Rooms, the Maison Orleans Suite (Club Level), and The Ritz-Carlton Suite. Guestroom features include 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, feather beds, and duvet covers, 400-thread count Frette sheets, flat-screen televisions, fully stocked mini-bar, multi-line telephones, generously-sized desk, sumptuous marble baths with hairdryer, lighted make-up mirror, scale, and Ritz-Carlton toiletries.
Guest services include 24-hour room service, twice-daily housekeeping, overnight laundry service, evening turndown, overnight valet parking at the cost of $45 USD, complimentary morning newspaper, babysitting service, 24-hour secretarial service, on-site fitness center with indoor pool, sauna, and whirlpool, and The Ritz-Carlton Spa; a 25,000 ft² spa on the first floor and mezzanine level. As for restaurants, The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans introduces its guests to celebrated Creole and continental delights compliments of M Bistro and Davenport Lounge.
The Ritz-Carlton Club Level is an exclusive oasis on the 4th floor, again with a historic look, pretty chandeliers, comfy seating, and dark wood floors. The lounge is packed with stunning antique French furnishings, and a wood-paneled library is a perfect place to curl up with a book—and a martini. The spacious layout includes a salon, library, and parlor, and there is also a 24-hour Business Center. This hotel within a hotel includes a dedicated concierge that attends to individual needs. With continuous culinary offerings throughout the day (breakfast, light snacks, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and sweets) and access to a computer station, it is the ideal place to do business, plan a family outing, or simply unwind.
This lounge never seems to get busy. Breakfast is extensive and includes pastries, eggs, potatoes, bacon, juices, coffee, etc., and is served with relaxed jazz in the background. In the afternoon and evening, a printed menu is presented near the food, so you can read about the delicious food being served. Lunch is a mix of salads like bruschetta salad along with mixed veggies, egg salad, grilled veggies, including cooked asparagus, wraps, meats, and smoked salmon, cheese, and crackers, and crab. Then there are offerings later on in the day, things like delicious filled rolls and sandwiches, olives, little canape plates containing all sorts of savory lovelies, grilled chicken and potatoes, roasted duck, more salad and desserts (a mix of cakes and pastries). Basically, whatever you like, you will find something to fill you up. No need to eat out if you have access to the lounge.
This club level lounge also includes complimentary evening wine, beer, cocktails, sodas, juices, and water, to go with the numerous food presentations, along with a 24-hour “grab and go” station to keep you full even after you leave the lounge. This club lounge is well worth paying the extra for, although you might be torn in your decision-making if you intend to spend the warm evenings out in the lantern-lit courtyard at this Ritz-Carlton.
You may not want to be confined to the lounge during the wonderful evenings in New Orleans. If you book a room with club lounge access, you can sometimes feel obliged to consume the free food and drink rather than taking in the culture and ambiance of the bars and restaurants about town and those deliciously warm evenings under the stars.
2. JW Marriott New Orleans
JW Marriott New Orleans, a category 5 Marriott hotel, is set in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans and has recently been redesigned. It is immersed in the world-famous French Quarter. Our hotel is just moments away from Jackson Square, the French Market, and the New Orleans Convention Center. Dance your way through Bourbon Street, or rediscover history at the National WWII Museum.
Inside, hotel guest rooms are also recently refurbished with plush bedding, large marble bathrooms, flat-screen TVs with streaming apps, ergonomic workspaces, Wi-Fi, and impressive views of the French Quarter or Canal Street.
While this hotel is a good choice in New Orleans, it is not even close to the luxury of the Ritz-Carlton that is outlined above. The good news is that this Marriott property has an executive level with hotel rooms and suites offering exclusive access to the recently transformed executive lounge. Platinum Marriott Bonvoy members get free access to this lounge. Otherwise, you need to reserve an executive room to gain access.
This club lounge is open daily for complimentary breakfast & soft drinks. It also offers full evening food spreads from Sunday evening to Thursday evening but on the weekend is only open 7:30 – 11:00 am. The breakfast is very good in this JW Marriott lounge, with smoked salmon, bagels, sausages, scrambled eggs, fresh berries, and fruit, as well as tasty cheesy potato grits. It is certainly better than your average club lounge continental breakfast but not nearly as good as the food offered in the Ritz-Carlton above.
Other facilities include a 24-hour fitness center, the rooftop saltwater pool with fantastic city views, a tempting Lobby Lounge, or the neighboring steakhouse, where you can savor seared-to-perfection steaks.
3. Sheraton New Orleans
The Sheraton New Orleans has a great lounge on the 42nd floor, which is open 24 hours a day and is one of the nicer U.S. domestic Sheraton lounges. Breakfast includes some hot dishes (including a hot egg dish) and is a decent offering, filling but not high quality (hash browns of a similar quality to McDonald’s). The evening spread is very good 3-4 hot items, grilled veggies, salad, and cheese, and the staff constantly replenishes the bowls. You have to pay for alcoholic drinks, but soft drinks and juices are free. This club lounge is open 24 hours in case you need water, soda, or crisps at night.
The Westin Canal Place, which is also in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels, is just a few blocks away from the Sheraton, but it does not have a club lounge. Neither does Le Méridien New Orleans, which is next to Harrah’s Casino and on the French Quarter’s outer edge.
Other Marriott Bonvoy properties in New Orleans include Four Points French Quarter with no lounge, but Platinum Marriott Bonvoy members get free beer vouchers redeemable at the bar, W French Quarter, which is stylish but has no lounge, and Westin Canal Place with no lounge. Book any of these via our concierge, and we can usually add in extra benefits for no extra cost.
4. New Orleans Marriott
New Orleans Marriott is located on 555 Canal Street, and it has a fantastic M Club Lounge.
The M Club Lounge is open 24 hours a day and is centrally located on the first floor of the hotel. Marriott Rewards Platinum Elite members and one guest can automatically enjoy access as part of their Elite status, or you can book an M Club Experience guestroom, which will grant you access to the lounge. If you do have access to this lounge, you and a guest can enjoy a 5Fifty5 Breakfast Buffet complete with omelets made to order and daily culinary offerings from 5Fifty5 Urban Louisiana Kitchen and cocktail service. A nice touch is the Grab-N-Go Station, available 24/7, and there is also a self-serve grind and brew espresso/cappuccino machine along with soft drinks, natural water, and an assortment of snacks. Additional guest passes are available for $30 USD per person and are good for breakfast and/or evening appetizers in this New Orleans hotel’s M Club Lounge.
5. Sheraton Metairie New Orleans Hotel
Sheraton Metairie New Orleans Hotel is located between downtown attractions and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. It is also near Lakeside Shopping Center, the Historic Garden District, and City Park, as well as the sights and sounds of the French Quarter. The hotel is a bit far out if you want to spend your evenings in the center, but it is ideal if you need to catch an early morning flight. Parking is in a garage and is free, and there is a small rooftop pool area that is well-maintained. This Sheraton has a club lounge with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, which includes three cold and one hot plate, along with dessert. Beer and wine are available for an extra fee.
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