The One11 Hotel is breathing new life into the beautiful, historic French Quarter of New Orleans. It’s the first hotel to open in the area is 50 years, and it was well worth the wait. Originally built in 1884 by the American Sugar Refining Company, the building was a sugar factory for many years before becoming an office space. In December 2020, the building reopened as One11 Hotel, ending a 50 year hotel moratorium and revitalizing the historic space.
The property was painstakingly restored in an effort to preserve its history. For example, the gorgeous beams seem throughout the lobby and restaurant, Batture, are original, making them over 100 years old. The design team was careful to leave exposed the brick walls and industrial ceilings as a nod to the buildings past, creating a stunning textured look and giving it plenty of character.
Today, the 8-story white brick hotel boasts 83 rooms, including several suites. We stayed in their lovely ‘Sugar Sweet’ during our visit. The room was huge by any hotel standard; it had a powder room, a living room area with a couch and chairs as well as a dining area with space to seat 4 people. It would be a wonderful suite for a family, friends traveling together, or a group needing a private space to hang out. Off the bedroom, the full bathroom featured a giant walk-in shower and soaking tub inside the shower area, which was a really cool design. Located on the first floor, just off the lounge, the suite has direct access to the hotel’s beautiful outdoor space. In warmer months, this easy access would be amazing for an afternoon dip in the heated pool. This January trip, we used it more to access the fire pit in the evenings, while sipping a drink we grabbed at the on-site restaurant and lounge.
The lounge was nearly always buzzing with people and we could never tell who was a hotel guest and who was local, which we’d say is a good thing. Serving bunch, lunch, and small plates for happy hour, the menu looks delicious for both food and drinks, and we know from experience that the cocktails at the bar are spectacular.
The staff encourages you to take a drink up to the rooftop, where you can soak in views of the French Quarter on one side and the mighty Mississippi River on the other. It’s a great vantage point and we loved getting a ‘lay of the land’ of sorts before heading out to explore.
The One11 Hotel is in the perfect location for exploring the French Quarter, or even for talking a long walk over to the Garden District. It was an excellent home away from home for our weekend in New Orleans and we can’t wait to visit again.
Compass + Twine was a welcomed guest of One11 Hotel and thanks them for a wonderful stay. As always, all opinions are our own.
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