Christmas At The Ritz Carlton New Orleans

Reception area

2017 was the first year I spent away from home for Christmas with my mom and brother and deciding where to go was really easy! I knew that we would want amazing food, history, and fun activities – so New Orleans ended up being our top contender.
Christmas was historically spent at home with family traditions but to be honest, I loved traveling for the holiday. We aren’t children anymore and I much more prefer experiences over gifts I will never use/don’t need – the gift of travel is amazing.
If you have been following me for awhile you know I am a huge fan of Ritz Carlton properties. I know exactly what to expect when I stay in their hotels: top notch customer service, attention to detail, luxurious accommodations including bath amenities, their club lounges always have the best food and staff (who actually remember who you are and what you like), and the overall experience is unforgettable. So picking the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans for my first holiday away from home was an easy pick.
The Hotel: 

The Ritz Carlton New Orleans is located in the gorgeous French Quarter and walking distance to Bourbon Street, there is a lot to do in the area and it is very walk-able. One of the things I immediately loved about the hotel was that when you come inside, you take an elevator up to reception and then a separate elevator to your room. That extra level of privacy is important to me and I appreciate their efforts there.
The reception area was decorated for the holiday and offered the most gorgeous grandeur (I had to get up at 4:00 am to get a photo with no people in it – but its truly magical).
Hotel Features:

• Club Lounge
• Spa – largest in the area with 22 treatment rooms & over 100 treatments
• 2 restaurants and in room dining
• Afternoon tea
• Courtyard
• Over 35,000 sq. feet of meeting space

Courtyard

Sitting area

The Room:
During my stay, my family and I stayed in a Deluxe King King room with club service. We found the room more than plenty for the 3 of us, with about 400 sq. feet of space.

King King

Sitting area

Beautiful bathroom

Coffee bar

Room Details:

• 2 king beds
• Plush Terry Robes
• Lighted Makeup Mirror
• Asprey Bathroom Amenities
• Hair Dryer
• Slippers
• 42 inch flat screen television
• Cable/Satelite
• iPod Dock
• Streaming Apps to access Netflix, Hulu plus, Pandora, and YouTube (personal account required)
• City view
• Full marble bathrooms featuring combined bathtub and shower
• Nespresso coffee maker
• Evening turndown service
• Safe in room
• Desk
• Iron and ironing board
• High speed internet available (for a fee)

We found that not only was the room spacious for 3 adults but there was plenty of area to spread out. In addition to the 2 king beds, we had a lounger, a desk, and a smaller desk area with the coffee bar. We could have easily had 2 more adults or kids in the room with us and been find on space.
Club Level:

Getting to this lounge is one of the coolest I have seen in my travels. You do need a key to access it, but it is tucked away on a floor with a different colored door and looks like a room – but no, when you open it you get this massive several room lounge! The dedicated staff will assist you with whatever you need (even making appointments).
The Club offers 5 food presentations daily:

• Breakfast
• Light lunch
• Afternoon snacks
• Hors d’oeuvres
• Desserts

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

Breakfast

You can find a lot of the creole influence in each of the food presentations – my personal favorites were the creamy grits at breakfast and the daily beignets and bread pudding during dessert! It would be impossible to go hungry here – so make sure and get a club level room to enjoy all the food, included alcohol, and snacks throughout.
In addition to the food and beverages, there is an abundant area to just lounge. You can come in and enjoy a drink, play a board game or cards, read the paper, and there is computers for use.

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Lunch

Wine bar

Lunch

Evening appetizers – shrimp and grits

Library

**Bonus – there is a bloody mary bar on Sundays!

Dining:
Even though we had a club level room, we did do some dining within the hotel.
We wanted to enjoy their afternoon tea that was holiday themed one afternoon and we ordered room service late one night.
Afternoon tea was served in the Davenport Lounge and lasted about two hours. In New Orleans, the 170+ year old tradition of Afternoon Tea is a must. There is something quite divine about sipping loose leaf teas, eating dainty tea sandwiches and desserts, and enjoying scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd and jam.

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea

Sandwich Selection:

• Crostini with Brie, Pin-wheel Prosciutto, Cranberry, Honey and Mint
• Salmon on Pumpernickel with Dill Crème and Lemon Zest
• Cucumber Roll with Pesto Cream and Capers
• Creole Deviled Egg with Caviar and Green Onion Blini with Cherry Tomato, Boursin Cheese and Garlic Chip
• Lobster Salad on Fried Won Ton with Tarragon Aioli

Dessert Selection:

• Vanilla Strawberry Tart
• Coffee Caramel
• Mango Passion Tea Cake
• Moelleaux Chocolate, Jivara Chantilly
• Pistachio Raspberry

For room service my brother and I ordered chicken tenders and fries – and we ate it all – because it was delicious!
Overall we LOVED spending Christmas in New Orleans with the Ritz Carlton. I love that they decorated the hotel so beautifully, had plentiful creole food options, impeccable customer service, and treated my family like their own.
Additional Information:

• Address: 921 Canal Street New Orleans, LA 70112
• Phone: +1 (504) 524-1331
• Distance from Louis Armstrong International Airport: 30 minutes without traffic (it took me 45)
• Parking: valet available for a fee