Hotel Info

The Roosevelt New Orleans and the land on which it sits are steeped in local culture and history. In the 1830s, the area was home to the State Capitol, Charity Hospital, Christ Episcopal Church, and the mansions of famed Louisianians of French and Spanish descent.

The period culminated in 1893 with the opening of the lavish Grunewald Hotel, built by Bavarian-born businessman Louis Grunewald to replace the Grunewald Hall Performing Arts Center.

At the age of 20, Seymour Weiss moved to New Orleans to take a job as a clerk in a shoe store. In 1923, he began his rapid ascent within the newly renamed Roosevelt from barbershop manager, to assistant manager, to general manager.

By 1931, he had assumed principal ownership of the hotel. Under his leadership, The Roosevelt New Orleans flourished financially and in reputation, establishing itself as one of the South’s premier hotels.

Located among the flurry of excitement on Canal Street, the Grunewald Hotel quickly established itself as a centerpiece of the city’s acclaimed entertainment scene.

Though the Grunewald era came to an end, the tradition of entertainment lived on at The Roosevelt’s new venues: The Blue Room and The Sazerac Bar.

As a revolving door of the time’s most famous faces like Louis Armstrong and Ray Charles, our hotel has established a legend that continues to this day.

When our 116-year-old hotel reopened in 2009, it had not yet been seen by the public since the impacts of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Many discoveries were made throughout the renovation including mosaic tile in the main lobby, handmade plaster work in elevator lobbies, coffered ceilings, and other architectural elements.

Guests can once again enjoy the decadence of years past in the fully restored Blue Room with gleaming chandeliers, and explore elegant woodwork and Art Deco murals in The Sazerac Bar.

Countless iconic figures including legendary musicians like Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Sonny and Cher have stayed or dined at The Roosevelt New Orleans. Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Ginger Rogers, and Bob Hope have also graced the halls of our hotel.

We’ve hosted U.S. Presidents including Coolidge, Eisenhower, and Ford, as well as several world leaders such as Gaganvihari Lallubhai Mehta, India’s ambassador to the U.S., and dignitaries like Upton Close, the fabled war correspondent.