Fairmont Opens 100th Global Hotel in New Orleans

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has opened the 250-room Fairmont New Orleans, representing the brand's 100th hotel globally and marking its return to the Louisiana market after a 20-year absence [1][3].

Hotel Dive reported that the property occupies 17 of the 31 floors in the former Bank of New Orleans building at 1010 Common St. in the Central Business District [1]. Developed by Kailas Companies, the tower originally dates to 1970 under a design by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill [1][2]. Kailas Cos. acquired the property in 2014 [3]. In August, Access Point Financial and TMGOC Ventures provided $120 million in bridge financing and preferred equity to recapitalize the redevelopment, which also houses a 216-room Element hotel that opened in February [3]. As Asian Hospitality reported, published entry rates for the luxury hotel start at $459 per night [3].

19,000 Square Feet of Function Space

The hotel's event footprint spans nine primary venues that cater to groups ranging from 10 to 500 attendees [3]. Lodging Magazine reported that the space includes two ballrooms measuring approximately 4,000 square feet each, six meeting rooms, an executive boardroom, and three dedicated foyers [4]. The second floor, which once served as the bank's main lobby, preserves original cypress wood ceilings and refurbished bronze paneling [4]. However, the venue count does not include the planned rooftop pool deck on the 31st floor, which is scheduled to debut later with a separate performance area [3][4].

10,000 Square Feet of Wellness Facilities

The property includes a 10,000-square-foot dedicated spa and fitness center scheduled to open in early December [2][4]. The facility incorporates three private treatment rooms, a couples' suite, a dry sauna overlooking the city skyline, a steam room, and relaxation lounges [4]. Fitness equipment is sourced from Matrix Onyx for personal training sessions [4]. The footprint excludes exterior recreational programs operating under the brand's Wellness Without Walls initiative, such as river runs and off-site boat rentals [4].

Dual Emeril Lagasse Dining Outlets

According to Boutique Hotel News, food and beverage operations debuted with two concepts created alongside chef Emeril Lagasse and The Emeril Group [2]. The signature venue is Delmonico Steakhouse, which serves Creekstone Farms dry-aged beef, Japanese Wagyu, and an oyster program in its first location outside Las Vegas [3][4]. The Café by Emeril serves breakfast and lunch with French and Creole accents [2]. In December, the F&B footprint will expand further to add the rooftop bistro Bleu Perdu and Third Measure, a cocktail bar developed with Cure founder Neal Bodenheimer [3][4].

Published disclosures do not state the project's total capital expenditure, current RevPAR projections, or the specific operating margin targets for the food and beverage venues.