The Roosevelt New Orleans Review
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BOTTOM LINE
The Roosevelt New Orleans is a grand, historic Waldorf Astoria a block off the French Quarter, home to the famous Sazerac Bar and one of the most photographed lobbies in the city, especially at the holidays. It suits travelers who want old-world luxury and location over a modern resort. As a Hilton property, it is a strong redemption for Honors points or an Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts booking.
Some hotels feel like buildings, and some feel like part of the city they sit in. The Roosevelt is firmly the second kind. Open since 1893 and now flying the Waldorf Astoria flag, it anchors the edge of the French Quarter and the Central Business District, and its block-long lobby is a New Orleans institution.
I came here for the history as much as the hotel, and the Roosevelt delivers on that in a way few properties can. Here is my honest walk through the lobby, the rooms, the rooftop pool, and that Sazerac Bar.
Booking the Roosevelt New Orleans
The Roosevelt is a Waldorf Astoria, which puts it at the top of the Hilton Honors portfolio. You can book it on points or cash, and given how high cash rates climb during Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, and the holiday season, a points redemption can be a smart play when award pricing lines up.
Hilton elite status matters here. Diamond and Gold members can receive food and beverage benefits, and top-tier status can bring an upgrade or late checkout when available. This is also an Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts property, so booking through FHR with The Platinum Card can add perks like breakfast for two, a room upgrade when available, and a property credit. That’s exactly how my pre-cruise night here worked: a welcome letter greeted me as an FHR rate holder, and the stacked credits — the FHR property credit, the breakfast credit, and the extra Diamond credits since this is a Waldorf-tier property — funded a great dinner at the Fountain Lounge: a really good ribeye with truffle fries, beignets for dessert, and a couple of local beers, all covered.
My general approach with a hotel like this is to decide what I am optimizing for. If cash rates are reasonable, an FHR booking often wins because the added perks can outweigh the points I would otherwise earn. If rates spike during a festival, the points redemption becomes the better play. Run both numbers and let the calendar decide, since New Orleans pricing is anything but flat.
Best cards for booking
To get the most from a stay here, the cards I would reach for are the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, Hilton Honors Surpass, and The Platinum Card from American Express.
Location
The Roosevelt sits on Baronne Street, one block from Canal Street and the edge of the French Quarter. That means you can walk to Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, and the Quarter's restaurants in minutes, then retreat to a calm, grand hotel when you have had enough of the noise.
It is also well placed for the CBD, the Superdome, and the streetcar lines, so getting around the rest of the city is easy. If you are pairing a New Orleans stay with a cruise, the port is a short ride away, which makes this a lovely splurge for a pre-cruise night.
What I like about this spot is the balance it strikes. You get the energy of the Quarter on demand, but the immediate blocks around the hotel are calmer than being in the thick of Bourbon Street. That makes it easy to sleep, and it means you are not fighting crowds every time you step out the front door.
Lobby and Check-In
The lobby is the reason a lot of people book. It runs a full block, lined with gilded columns and chandeliers, and it is one of the grandest hotel spaces in the South. During the holidays the Roosevelt decks it out with an over-the-top display that draws visitors from across the city. Take a slow walk through it: the chandeliers and original ceiling detail run the length of the block, grand pianos dotted around carry plaques listing the famous hands that have played them, and a statuette near the center is actually a clock from the Paris Exhibition — one of the oldest pieces in the hotel.
Check-in happened against that backdrop, which sets a tone no modern lobby can match. The desk was gracious and the whole arrival felt appropriately special. Even if you are not staying, the lobby is worth a walk-through, and Teddy's Cafe tucked into it serves coffee, cafe au lait, and beignets.
The Room
The guest rooms carry the classic Waldorf Astoria style, refined and traditional rather than trend-chasing. My room felt like a proper city hotel room, with quality linens, a marble-accented bathroom, and the kind of quiet comfort you want after a long night out in the Quarter.
Rooms here run on the cozier side compared with a sprawling resort, which fits a historic downtown building. If space is a priority, the suites open things up considerably, and elite or FHR bookings can help you land an upgrade. For a couple or a solo traveler, a standard room is plenty comfortable. Mine came with a pull-out couch in the sitting area, a big king bed with another large TV for watching from bed, a full-size mirror at the end of the hall, and — a luxury when sharing — a bathroom and a half. The view mostly consisted of the Ritz-Carlton across Canal Street, and in true grand-hotel fashion there was proper stationery on the desk, some of which went home in my bag.
Because this is a century-old building, room layouts vary more than you would find in a cookie-cutter new-build. That is part of the charm, but it also means it is worth requesting a higher floor or a specific view if that matters to you. The soundproofing held up well for a downtown hotel, and I slept better than I expected given how close the Quarter is.
Pools and Amenities
The rooftop pool is a real treat in a city where outdoor space is at a premium. It is reserved for hotel guests, with a pool bar, city views, and Waldorf Astoria landscaping around it, which makes for a calm escape from the heat and crowds below.
Downstairs, the hotel has a fitness center and the Guerlain Spa for treatments. Add the rooftop bar and the lobby cafe, and the Roosevelt gives you plenty of reasons to stay in the building between explorations of the Quarter. A few honest notes from my walk-through: the basement fitness center is small but stocked with nice new equipment, the adjacent spa appeared shut with no one at the desk, and while Teddy’s Cafe served me a proper Southern biscuits-and-gravy breakfast, know that Domenica — the fancier Italian spot in the building — is independently run, so your hotel credits won’t work there.
Food and Drink
The Sazerac Bar is the headline. This is the room that claims to have popularized the Sazerac cocktail, and it looks the part, with its African walnut bar and the famous Paul Ninas murals wrapping the walls. Sitting there with a Sazerac in hand is one of those New Orleans experiences you remember. There’s a plaque outside marking the history, and stepping inside is pure Prohibition-era time travel — dark, moody, and unmistakably 1920s (so dark, in fact, it’s genuinely hard to photograph). The bar claims to have invented the Sazerac itself, and the one I ordered was absolutely fantastic.
Beyond the bar, the Fountain Lounge does small plates and a lovely afternoon setting, and the rooftop offers drinks with a view. Teddy's Cafe in the lobby handles coffee, beignets, and the signature Waldorf red velvet cake. You are also a two-minute walk from the entire Quarter's dining scene.
Service
Service matched the Waldorf Astoria name. The front desk, the bar staff, and housekeeping all carried that polished, unhurried Southern hospitality that fits the building perfectly. Requests were handled quickly and with a smile.
What stood out was how the team balanced the hotel's grandeur with genuine warmth. It never felt stuffy. For a historic luxury property, the Roosevelt keeps the service personal.
Little touches added up over the stay, from thoughtful directions to the best local spots to quick help when I needed it. That is the difference between a hotel that simply looks the part and one that actually feels like a Waldorf Astoria. The Roosevelt lands firmly in the second camp, which is a big reason I would come back.
Who Should Stay Here
Great fit if
Look elsewhere if
You want historic, old-world luxury steps from the French Quarter
You want a large, modern resort with sprawling grounds
You collect Hilton Honors points and want a top-tier redemption
You want the cheapest bed in town for a party weekend
You love a legendary cocktail bar and a jaw-dropping lobby
You need a large room and lots of in-room space
You want a special pre-cruise or holiday-season stay
You are not booking Hilton or an Amex FHR rate for the perks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I book The Roosevelt New Orleans with Hilton points?
Yes. It is a Waldorf Astoria in the Hilton Honors program, so it books on points or cash. Because cash rates spike during festivals and holidays, a points redemption can be strong value when award pricing cooperates.
Is the Sazerac Bar open to the public?
It is. You do not need to be a hotel guest to visit the Sazerac Bar, though it can get busy during events, so plan around peak evenings.
How close is the hotel to the French Quarter?
Very close. The Roosevelt is about one block from Canal Street and the edge of the Quarter, so Bourbon Street and Jackson Square are a short walk away.
Does the Roosevelt have a pool?
Yes, there is a rooftop pool reserved for hotel guests, with a pool bar and city views. It is a nice escape from the New Orleans heat.
Is this a good pre-cruise hotel in New Orleans?
It is an excellent splurge before a cruise, since the port is a short ride away and the location lets you enjoy the Quarter the night before you sail.
Are the rooms large?
Rooms lean traditional and on the cozier side, in keeping with the historic building. If you want more space, look at the suites or aim for an upgrade through elite status or an Amex FHR booking.
Bottom Line
The Roosevelt New Orleans is one of those hotels where the building is part of the experience. Between the block-long lobby, the Sazerac Bar, the rooftop pool, and a location one block off the Quarter, it delivers a sense of place that a newer hotel simply cannot manufacture.
If you collect Hilton points or carry an Amex Platinum for Fine Hotels + Resorts, this is a landmark worth spending them on. For a special New Orleans trip, a holiday visit, or a memorable pre-cruise night, the Roosevelt earns an easy recommendation from me.
