The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery opened on June 1, 2015. Located in New Orleans’ Warehouse Arts District, The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery is the latest incarnation of a building that began its life in 1854 as a coffee warehouse and then as a chandlery, or general wholesale business, trading in everything sailing ships needed to stock their voyages. The building has housed the Ambassador Hotel for the last two decades.
With Provenance Hotels and GB Lodging at the helm, the property has undergone a renovation and rebranding that has expanded the room count to 167, highlighting rustic original details – like hard wood floors and exposed brick walls – and pairing sophisticated modern design with the culture, art and joie de vive that is uniquely New Orleans.
The hotel’s light, airy design showcases the building’s authentic warehouse architecture and, in keeping with the chandlery spirit of the building’s historic past, provisions modern day travelers with local crafts and artisanal New Orleans products for purchase from chandlery cases and the hotel honor bar. The chandlery element will come online later in summer 2015.
White walls punctuated by pops of color on painted ceilings and pipes, original hardwood floors, wall-spanning windows, wood finishes and subdued fabrics and textiles pay homage to the hotel’s industrial past while practical amenities provide all the modern necessities plugged-in travelers require with flat-screen TVs, docking stations and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Downstairs, the lobby entices guests with exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, industrial-inspired tables and comfy armchairs that offer plenty of nooks in which to congregate or relax. The lobby includes a street-facing gallery space with rotating art curated by New Orleans Center of Creative Arts featuring works by the school’s students, faculty and alumni.
The Compère Lapin restaurant, owned and operated by Chef Nina Compton, in partnership with Provenance Hotels, features a progressive menu of local New Orleans fare influenced by Compton’s classic French training, Caribbean roots and love of Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana’s indigenous ingredients.
www.old77hotel.com