The Higgins Hotel in New Orleans
SHINES WITH EXCEPTIONAL ACCOMMODATIONS AND A LESSON IN HISTORY
By Elaine & Scott Harris
Many make their way to New Orleans for sundry reasons, much to do with activities centered on excess and frivolity. However, one attraction has garnered the accolade of Louisiana’s top tourist attraction. One which captures the imagination with the sober reality of our nation’s hard-won freedoms. The World War II museum —now partnered with the newly opened Higgins Hotel, the only museum-owned hotel in the world—affords an authentic travel experience of both accommodations, linking it to the attraction that it desires to promote and revere as a pivotal part in World History.
New Orleans was home to Higgins Industries, a modest boat company owned by entrepreneur Andrew J. Higgins. Higgins was the inventor of the amphibious landing craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) known as the “Higgins’s boat.” This boat was a modification of his Eureka boat. When redesigned and produced, it could land upon the shore with an opening bow ramp, allowing troops and equipment to land ashore without the need for specific harbor landing sites.
Higgins Hotel is conveniently located in the Warehouse/Arts District, next to The National WWII Museum, within a mile to Bourbon Street. The Hotel predominantly features Art Deco interiors and even a rooftop bar with views of the Bollinger Canopy of Peace. It is reflective of the period of 1940 that denotes the style, ambiance, and craftsman of the art deco era.
The Higgin’s Hotel New Orleans is a Hilton Curio Collection property. According to Mark Becker, Director of Sales and Marketing, it is “The only museum owned hotel in the world. This is a hotel that will accommodate every member of the family. It is a place where this generation who wants to know what their grandpa or great father was involved in can learn through the World War II museum. The Higgin’s Hotel emanates a sense of historical ambiance with over 74 million dollars of design and structural build-outs.”
Walking into the lobby where the gleaming marble and the soaring ceiling meet with a central mural capturing the time-era spirit is a breath-taking experience. Design firm Kay Lang + Associate’s careful curation of interior design and art objects include George S. Patton’s piano and the official oil painting of Andrew Jackson Higgins, aside from the many other displays throughout the hotel.
The Higgins Hotel boasts 18,000 feet of meeting and event space and 230 well-appointed rooms and presidential-themed suites. One of the most sought-after rooftop views of the city belongs to Rosie’s on the Roof. This bar and dining space pay homage to the Rosie the Riveters—the mothers, daughters, and wives who labored in the factories building machinery.
Checking into our Art Deco-inspired corner room, we could not help but be impressed with its bright, convivial atmosphere that included an extra, more oversized foyer and bath. The bathroom has both shower and tub—oh my, the deep tub has a window with a city view that will want you to soak all night! It’s all in the details. Our classic king room was large with an armchair and an ottoman, luxurious mattress, pillow topper, down pillows, and custom decorative bed throws.
There are many amenities as well to enjoy and explore. Stop into Café Normandie, which serves French-inspired cuisine. Kilroy’s Bar & Lounge is the go-to spot for small plates and craft cocktails if you want a lovely libation and a bite. Provisions Market grab and go items are quick meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with Community Coffee and soft drinks.
The hotel tells a powerful story of a bygone era through artifacts, artwork, photography, and personal story plaques. Every guest connects with WWII history in the hotel’s guest rooms suites and the meeting, dining, and event areas. The combination of the World War II museum and the Higgins Hotel creates a sense of comfort when it can be uncomfortable to investigate the past. For more information; www.higginshotelnola.com.