Nashville vs. New Orleans: Which Southern City Has the Best Luxury Hotels?
The competition between Nashville and New Orleans is heating up as both cities vie for travelers seeking good music, good food, and convivial gathering spots. Today, Broadway goes toe-to-toe with Bourbon Street. It’s barbecue versus beignets and bareknuckle boxing for bachelorettes, bachelors, and big groups—but which one has the lock on luxury?
“Nashville has undergone remarkable growth in recent years, and the city’s ability to blend its rich musical heritage with sophisticated dining and entertainment options creates a unique landscape for luxury experiences,” argues Sam Fox, founder of Author & Edit Hospitality and Fox Restaurant Concepts (including Nashville’s wildly popular Twelve Thirty Club).
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Yet, New Orleans has the edge on history with numerous century-old hotels and a legacy of cultural traditions. We put the hotels to the test to see which city delivers the best in luxury digs.
The Hermitage vs. The Roosevelt
The Basics: Both of these historic hotels ooze Art Deco style and share a long list of celebrity patrons—Elvis oft visited the Hermitage in Nashville, and the likes of Marilyn Monroe frequented New Orlean’s the Roosevelt. Built in 1910, the Hermitage enjoys status as the oldest luxury hotel in Nashville. Recent renovations lend the interiors a refined elegant style—but the hotel’s legendary lime-green, glass-tiled men’s room remains untouched. Indeed, almost as many women as men have visited this Art Deco masterpiece, the 2008 winner of the “Best Restroom in America” contest sponsored by Cintas Facilities Services. The Hermitage has 122 guestrooms, 13 of which are suites.
The grandeur on display at Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel dates back to 1893 when it first opened as the Grunewald Hotel. The interior spaces are updated and modern, but the property’s original architecture and ambiance lend it a timeless feel. The property’s famous Blue Room, a bi-level ballroom adorned with crystal chandeliers and deep, rich hues of blue, was once graced by renowned musicians such as James Brown, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra. The hotel has 504 rooms, 125 of which are suites.
The Bars: Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten brings star power to the Hermitage’s Drusie & Darr (for fine dining) and the Pink Hermit (a nice all-day café stop for a Blueberry Whiskey Sour made with locally distilled bourbon Nelson’s Green Brier Whiskey, cocchi rosa, and lemon). Take your caffeine at the hotel’s Afternoon Tea experience—note the cool staff attire custom-designed by Draper James exclusively for the hotel.
The Roosevelt’s offerings include the beautifully restored Art Deco interiors at Sazerac Bar—an iconic hangout where you’ll find as many locals sipping rare cognacs and classic cocktails as guests—Fountain Lounge for a breakfast Bloody Mary, and the decadent Rooftop Bar where you can order a bottle of bubbly poolside or the book a cabana for a truly private experience.
The Extras: The Roosevelt Spa offers everything from massages to blow outs. The rooftop pool and fitness center round out the amenities. While the spa is temporarily closed at the Hermitage, it does offer a 24-hour fitness center, and the ladies can book the Girl’s Getaway package and receive Matching Draper James Pajamas as well as complimentary Afternoon Tea and daily breakfast.
Round 1 winner: A lime-green bathroom is impressive, but the bar scene takes the win for this one: The Roosevelt.
The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans vs. The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel
The Basics: Located near the French Quarter, the Ritz-Carlton recently underwent a $40 million dollar renovation that celebrates this property’s serene elegance, a refined sanctuary from the New Orleans mayhem. Housed in the iconic 1908 Beaux Arts Maison Blanche, the hotel offers up interiors that pay homage to the building’s French heritage with modern finishes and blue- and silver-hued textiles accented with gold and wood finishes. The Ritz hold 527 rooms, including 37 suites.
You’ll find a similarly quiet luxury amid Nashville’s bumping Broadway scene at the Joseph, which boasts a sleek aesthetic centered around original design elements. Leatherwork at the front desk, paintings in the spa, statement chandeliers, and door handles—it’s a detail-driven hotel accented with an impressive art collection. Original works appear throughout, from guestrooms to the spa. The Joseph has 297 rooms and 32 suites.
The Bars: The Ritz’s resident musician Jeremy Davenport entertains guests with his smooth jazz stylings in the eponymous Davenport Lounge. The relaxed, sophisticated setting is a nice contrast to the inebriated chaos of nearby Bourbon Street.
Denim, the seasonal rooftop bar at the Joseph, sits 21 stories above the city skyline. Decked out in walls of salvaged denim with a living green wall as a centerpiece, it is a progressively chic setting for a classic cocktail—or take it poolside to a private cabana. Alternatively, tuck into the moody speakeasy-like vibe of Four Walls for a Smoking Gun cocktail of gin, Avèze, Cocchi Americano, melon, and smoked bitters.
The Extras: The Ritz Spa boasts cool voodoo ritual treatments (and the largest spa in the city with 20 treatment rooms, a café, and a boutique).
The Ritz Carlton Club Level rooms have a private lounge and dedicated concierge as well as all-day snacking and drinking options. Meanwhile, an ice fountain, a steam room, and something called an experience shower—a blend of sensory effects (sound and scent) with water—is on tap at the Joseph’s full service spa.
Round 2 winner: Best all-around for a deep bench of libations and amenities with a luxe vibe: the Joseph.
Soho House Nashville vs. Maison Métier
The basics: Once a former sock factory, Soho House’s warehouse turned hotel is located just a bit outside of Nashville’s downtown scene. The Bauhaus-inspired interiors are arty and hip, accented with an impressive art collection representing works from 41 local artists. Guests can catch live music at any one of the hotel’s three performance venues, nab a workout in the smartly appointed fitness center with sauna, steam, and outdoor pool, or idle underneath the 150-year-old elm in the hotel’s garden courtyard. Soho House has 47 rooms in self-described categories that range from Small to Large.
Down in the Big Easy, Maison Métier, which is housed in the historic City Hall annex building, delivers a dose of effortless luxury with well-appointed interiors that imbue a residential feel. Eclectic decor defines the hotel’s airy, light-filled spaces. Located in NOLA’s trendy Warehouse District adjacent to the French Quarter, this hotel is the newest property on our list, having opened in June. The boutique property has 67 rooms, 23 of which are suites.
The Bars: Soho House has a members-only dining-and-drinking venue, but non-members can opt for May’s Dive, which offers a limited, but well-curated, selection of bites and drinks.
The lush and alluring Bar Métier has a private speakeasy-styled room for private parties (accessed by way of a secret bookcase) as well as a private entrance to Bar Marilou, the Parisian cocktail bar and restaurant next door.
The Extras: In addition to its three music venues, Soho House has a 60-seat screening room. Guests can book a personal trainer at the hotel gym or chill in a private poolside cabana at the property’s pool. At Maison Métier,, guests are invited to use the neighboring Barnett Hotel’s rooftop pool and fitness center. Neither property has a spa.
Round 3 winner: Soho House delivers the win on music venues and fitness.
And the Belt Goes to . . .
Nashville. Music City has been transformed over the last two decades into the nation’s hospitality hot spot. What it lacks in historic gravitas, it more than makes up for with bells and whistles.
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