Fairmont New Orleans Opens as Chain's 100th Hotel
The 250-room property occupies 17 floors of a former bank building in the Central Business District.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Hotels
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has opened Fairmont New Orleans, its 100th hotel worldwide, in the city's Central Business District. The property is developed by Kailas Companies and occupies 17 floors of the former Bank of New Orleans building.
Why it matters
The opening adds a large full-service hotel with more than 19,000 square feet of meeting space to New Orleans' downtown core, a location within reach of the French Quarter and Warehouse District. The project also reuses a 1970 Skidmore, Owings and Merrill landmark rather than building new.
The property has 250 rooms across 17 floors of a 31-storey building originally completed in 1970. Its 19,000-plus square feet of event space includes two ballrooms of roughly 4,000 square feet each and a capacity of 500 guests.
The players
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts is a luxury hotel brand operated by Accor that now counts 100 properties worldwide.
Emeril Lagasse
Emeril Lagasse is a celebrity chef whose New Orleans restaurants and branded dining concepts are closely tied to the city's culinary identity.
Kailas Companies
Kailas Companies is the developer behind the project, which converted the former Bank of New Orleans building into the hotel.
The details
The hotel restores original elements of the former bank, including its entry canopy, lobby floors, decorative bronze panelling and local cypress ceiling. Interiors were designed by Rockwell Group, and dining concepts were developed with Chef Emeril Lagasse and The Emeril Group, including Delmonico Steakhouse, its first location outside Las Vegas.
Timeline
November 10, 2026: Fairmont New Orleans officially opens as the chain's 100th hotel.
December 2026: Fairmont Gold lounge opens on the 29th and 30th floors.
Early December 2026: Bleu Perdu, Third Measure, a rooftop pool and a 10,000-square-foot spa and fitness centre are scheduled to open.
Roadmap
The conversion follows a wider pattern in which mid-century downtown office towers, including Skidmore, Owings and Merrill designs from 1970, are repurposed as hotels as office demand has softened. Fairmont's 100th property marks a milestone for a brand expanding its urban full-service footprint through adaptive reuse.
Visitors booking Central Business District stays can choose from 250 rooms, with event and dining options that include a steakhouse and a Fairmont Gold lounge once it opens in December. Travelers planning around the rooftop pool and spa should check opening dates before booking.
The takeaway
Hotel projects that restore historic architecture can add new guest capacity to a downtown without erasing its landmarks. For travelers, the amenity list will matter most, so confirm which facilities are open on your dates.
What happens next
Fairmont Gold lounge opens in December 2026, and the rooftop pool, Bleu Perdu, Third Measure and the spa are scheduled to open in early December.
Further reading
For more on lodging options across the city, browse Hotels in New Orleans travel coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Travel Trade Journal.
