Loews New Orleans Hotel

A Downtown Tower With River Views and Working Elevators

Loews New Orleans occupies twenty-one floors of a former office building on Poydras Street, a conversion that explains some of its best features: real windows that open onto the Mississippi River or the skyline, ceilings higher than the usual hotel box, and 285 rooms — 75 of them full suites — that feel more spacious than the Central Business District's newer towers. A 2014 renovation brought in blues and grays, framed New Orleans photography, and carpet woven with a wrought-iron motif — a nod to the Quarter without leaning on Mardi Gras clichés. It is a corporate hotel in the best sense: well-run, well-staffed, and built for convention crowds without losing track of the leisure traveler who wandered in for the weekend.

Why It Works

We selected Loews New Orleans because it solves the usual downtown trade-off: a reliable, full-service hotel within walking distance of the French Quarter that doesn't feel like an airport lobby. The indoor saltwater pool and sauna are rare at this price point in the CBD, the rooms run larger than the competition's, and the on-site restaurant takes its sourcing seriously rather than defaulting to a generic hotel menu. Pet and family programs round it out for the travelers who need more than a bed and a view.

Why This Location

Poydras Street sits at the edge of the Central Business District, close enough to the Convention Center and Superdome to matter for conference season, and a fifteen-minute walk from Jackson Square and the French Quarter's bars and jazz clubs. The Arts District and the Warehouse District's gallery row are closer still. It's a location built for people who want to walk to dinner and a show without paying French Quarter prices for the room itself — and for drivers, valet parking is on site, which matters more in this part of downtown than it should.

Fast Facts

• Price: $$ (moderate, from around $189/night before taxes and fees)

• Vibe: Downtown business hotel with genuine hospitality

• Rooms: 285, including 75 suites, many with partial or full river views

• Best For: Conference travelers, football weekends, pet owners

• Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The indoor saltwater lap pool and sauna, included with every stay

• Dining: Poydras & Peters (Louisiana-inspired) and Bar Peters

• Amenities: Heated indoor pool, fitness centre, valet parking, pet programs

• Attractions: French Quarter, Superdome, Convention Center, Arts District

Rooms and River Views

Room categories climb from the 346-square-foot Deluxe City or River View through Luxury and Grand categories up to the 721-square-foot Grand Suite and the 1,079-square-foot Presidential Suite, which claims a corner view over the river's crescent and the skyline together. The River View categories look toward the Mississippi, though from this height it's often a partial view past neighboring rooftops rather than an unbroken sweep of water — worth knowing before paying the upcharge. Inside, the rooms share Stearns & Foster mattresses, Egyptian cotton linens, glass-enclosed showers with separate soaking tubs in the higher categories, and a laptop-sized in-room safe. The hotel's Connecting Comfort program guarantees adjoining rooms for families and groups who book ahead — a useful detail for anyone traveling with kids or a wedding party.

Dining and Drinks

Poydras & Peters, the hotel's ground-floor restaurant, leans on Gulf seafood and Louisiana produce for a menu that reads more like a neighborhood kitchen than a hotel dining room; breakfast runs daily, dinner Thursday through Sunday. Bar Peters, a short walk from the restaurant, pours New Orleans-inspired cocktails and local beer alongside small plates, with a weekday happy hour that draws in CBD office workers as much as hotel guests. The Market, open around the clock, covers the gap for coffee, snacks, and a late-night sandwich without leaving the building.

Pets, Families, and Practical Details

The Loews Loves Pets program allows up to two pets per room regardless of size for a $100 stay fee plus a nightly charge, with a welcome kit of bowls, a mat, and treats at check-in; pet rooms are assigned to the 11th floor, and river-view rooms are kept pet-free. The parallel Loves Families program adds bottle warmers, board games, and other loans for traveling with kids. Wi-Fi, pool, and fitness center access are included in the room rate, valet parking runs extra, and stays of three nights or longer come with a standing 20% discount — worth factoring in before comparing nightly rates against hotels further from the Quarter.