A Tale of Two Cities!

Miss Ginger's travels have taken her to two cities this weekend, and so far, both have been a delight!
She started the trip with a couple of days of duty in Baton Rouge, but this week, instead of staying in the run down Marriott with the terrible freeway noise, Queen G and her coworkers stayed at the brand new Renaissance Baton Rouge, which was a truly lovely experience!

The ultra-modern lobby is the first inkling that the hotel is something special, and the bar, restaurant, and guest rooms don't dissapoint, either!  Subtle local touches, like the use of an alligator hide motif on wallpaper, textiles, and other surfaces, along with custom designed "cajun dictionary" wallpaper in the guest bathrooms, allow the hotel to maintain a clean, modern feel while winking at the traditions and motifs of the market!  Queen Ginger had not previously stayed in a Renaissance property, but will certainly seek them out in the future!

After her work week in BR, the Queen retired to her beloved NOLA for a weekend of R&R with her favorite cousin JC, who had just spent a week doing a volunteer stint with Habitat for Humanity. 

Due to limited availability and late booking, the Queen's was forced to splurge and book a luxury hotel she has always wished to experience, and so far she has not been dissapointed!

The Roosevelt has long been among the crown jewels of American hotels, and like many of them, has seen good days and bad.. Built in 1893 as the Grunewald Hotel on the site of the former state capitol (it was at one time in New Orleans), the building has long stood as a bastion of lavish Southern hospitality.  In 1923,  a rennovation brought a new tower and a new name, and the Roosevelt was created, whose lobby stretched an entire city block! From University Place to O'Keefe Street, the ornate lobby led (and still leads) to such famous American landmarks as The Blue Room and the Sazerac Lounge. In 1965, it was purchashed and renamed by Fairmont Hotels, until 2005, when Fairmont sold the flood damaged properties to Dimension Development, who restored the grand jewel and contracted the venerable Waldorf-Astoria chain to oversee and manage the property.

The famous Sazerac bar actually did not become part of the Roosevelt until 1949, when the owner contracted to move it into the Roosevelt, and allowed female patrons for the first time.  This famous vintage photo shows women "storming the Sazerac" for the first time, and was quaintly recreated for the grand opening of the new Roosevelt in 2010

The Roosevelt, and the Sazerac Bar, are truly among the many treasures in New Orleans, and must certainly be a part of your next trip to this vibrant, newly-energized city!