A return after twenty years away
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Accor’s luxury brand, announced on 1 October 2026 that reservations are now open at Fairmont New Orleans for stays from 2 November. The property will become the brand’s 19th hotel in the United States and marks Fairmont’s return to New Orleans, twenty years after it left the city.
The hotel is located in the Central Business District, a short walk from the French Quarter and the Caesars Superdome. It occupies 17 floors of the former Bank of New Orleans Building, a 31-storey tower designed in 1970 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
An office tower converted by Kailas Companies
The project is led by Kailas Companies, a New Orleans-based developer specialising in the rehabilitation of heritage buildings. In August, the complex, which also houses an Element by Westin, underwent a €103m recapitalisation provided by Access Point Financial and TMGOC Ventures.
C. Mohan Kailas, Chief Executive Officer of Kailas Companies, said the company’s passion lies in the careful preservation of iconic historic buildings while bringing in world-class modern luxury. With the forthcoming opening of Fairmont New Orleans, he added, the company is delighted to breathe new life into a legendary property and to bring a legendary brand back to New Orleans. The developer says it has conceived the hotel as a gathering place for business travellers, private events and large groups.
250 keys and an F&B offer by Emeril Lagasse
The hotel has 250 rooms and suites, as well as a Fairmont Gold level, the brand’s “hotel within a hotel” concept. The food and beverage offer has been developed in partnership with chef Emeril Lagasse and his teams. It includes Delmonico Steakhouse, located in the lobby and inspired by 1970s décor.
On the roof, the property combines a pool and a lounge billed as the highest in the city, with views over the Mississippi. It also offers Third Measure, an intimate bar, and Bleu Perdu, a poolside lounge. The 929 sqm spa features three treatment rooms, a couples’ suite with dry sauna and steam room, and a fitness centre.
A strong focus on events
With more than 1,765 sqm of meeting and event space, Fairmont New Orleans can host from 10 to 500 guests. The second floor brings together two ballrooms of approximately 372 sqm each, with dedicated pre-function foyers, six meeting rooms and a boardroom.
The grand ballroom occupies the former banking hall. It retains its original ceiling in local cypress, complemented by Italian-inspired 1970s chandeliers. The meeting rooms combine natural light, wall coverings inspired by Spanish moss, walnut and velvet.
Eric Overstreet, the hotel’s General Manager, said Fairmont New Orleans is designed to reclaim its position as the city’s pre-eminent place of celebration, blending historic charm with modern luxury. He highlighted the partnership with Emeril Lagasse as a tribute to the city’s culinary heritage.
Rockwell Group signs the interior design
The interior design, entrusted to Rockwell Group, draws on the tension between the built environment and nature that characterises New Orleans. Structured architectural lines, layered textures, saturated colours and organic references come together in a scheme that aims for boutique-style intimacy, with a limited number of keys and generously sized rooms.
The lobby is conceived as the hotel’s social anchor rather than a mere arrival hall. Organised around a central Lobby Bar, it blurs the boundaries between reception, lounge and a living room open to local residents. The project is presented as the latest expression of Fairmont’s architectural approach, as the brand pursues one of the largest renovation campaigns in its history.
Claudia Kozma Kaplan, Chief Brand Officer of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, noted that, much like Fairmont, which has served as the stage for some of the world’s most legendary moments, New Orleans embodies the very heart of hospitality and celebration.
Another luxury asset for Accor in North America
Analysis – This opening strengthens Accor’s luxury segment in a North American market where the group has just reorganised its development, with the appointment of Kara Brill Randall as Chief Development Officer for its luxury brands. The choice of a heritage conversion with a strong events component illustrates the place of MICE and large-scale functions in the Fairmont model.
Guests will be able to benefit from the ALL Accor loyalty programme. Fairmont plans to reveal further details about the property over the coming weeks. Reservations are open for stays from 2 November.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Fairmont New Orleans opens November 2, 2026
Accor’s Fairmont returns to New Orleans after two decades, its 19th hotel in the US
250 rooms and suites across 17 floors of the former Bank of New Orleans Building (SOM, 1970)
Developed by Kailas Companies; interiors by Rockwell Group
F&B with Chef Emeril Lagasse, incl. Delmonico Steakhouse; highest rooftop pool in the city
Approx. 1,765 sqm of event space for 10 to 500 guests; 929 sqm spa; Fairmont Gold
