Four Seasons in New Orleans: Modern Riverfront Luxury

Understated elegance comes to the Big Easy in the form of the Four Seasons, which sits in a landmark tower overlooking the Mississippi River. The Four Seasons in New Orleans, or NOLA) had been a long-awaited property, which certainly changed the high-end hotel game in NOLA. With superb detail-oriented digs, two destination restaurants, and exceptional service levels, the former World Trade Center is now an alluring option for sleek downtown stays. What makes this Four Seasons outpost so amazing is its excellent location — it towers over the riverside end of NOLA’s famed Canal Street. So, the real selling point here is the sweeping views of the mighty Mississippi River from the higher floors. That, along with the fact that the best shopping, dining, and entertainment in NOLA, along with its fabulous historic French Quarter, are a stone’s throw away. What could be better? 

Historic Character and Charm

Putting a new twist on old-world charm and tradition is a thread that’s common across the Four Seasons NOLA, which is sprawled on two acres along the Mississippi River. The New Orleans World Trade Center was a unique, cross-shaped building that also sits on the National Register of Historic Places. However, it had been languishing as a derelict commercial building for years together before the Four Seasons group lapped it up and refurbished it. It finally debuted as the slick Four Seasons in 2021, but one can still see gorgeous remnants of the past. In fact, local artist Dawn DeDeaux salvaged original building materials like signage, wall-mounted ashcans, and even mail chutes in shadow boxes on every floor in the hallway.

Despite sitting on the busy Canal Street, it’s set back from it, so the entrance immediately opens to the massive lobby. The sound-muffling wooden frames create intimacy, while the locally sourced art offers a sense of place. While most of its five-star peers have elaborate floral displays, the centerstage here is the Chandelier Bar, which itself is a statement of intent by the Four Seasons to honor NOLA’s commitment to revelry.

A Culinary Destination

The Four Seasons had its head in the right place when it recruited two of NOLA’s best chefs, Donald Link and Alon Shaya, to lead its restaurants. Thus, it firmly cemented its status as a premier dining destination in not just NOLA but the entire South.

We loved the fifth-floor Chemin à la Mer from Louisiana native Donald Link, with a wall of windows overlooking the Mississippi. Ironically, much of the food comes from the water, with must-eat items like fresh oysters, côte de boeuf, and more. Don’t miss the weekday happy hour “oyster hour,” which even sees locals lining up. The other restaurant was Chef Shaya’s Miss River, which served Louisiana staples like Gulf red snapper and buttermilk-fried chicken.

As the birthplace of iconic cocktails like the Hurricane, Ramos gin fizz, and Sazerac, NOLA takes its bars seriously. The Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons is a worthy addition and a jewel in its crown. Sip on wonderful takes on cocktails in this glamorous space, which was a great place to begin and end our evening.

“The restaurants at Four Seasons were the highlight of our stay. We’ve never fallen in love with staple Louisana cuisine before, and the Four Seasons ensured that.”

WOW Travel

Wellness Abound

The Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, LA’s wellness space, is a tranquil refuge in what is an otherwise bustling and buzzing hotel. We absolutely loved the soothing eight-treatment-room spa outfitted in rattan, gray travertine, and raw white oak. They offer a host of customized facials, massages, and body treatments with products from the exclusive French skincare brand Biologique Recherche. In fact, it’s the only spa in all of Louisiana to offer them! This also includes a whopping 30 different serums. After the treatment, we unwinded on a cream plush chaise longue in the relaxation room with a glass of champagne. Later on, we even headed to the adjoining terrace, where we could soak in views of the Mississippi River. That is why it’s one of the best hotels with a spa in New Orleans.

The other highlight of the wellness space is the fifth-floor deck with a sparkling 75-ft-long (23 m) slightly curved infinity pool. It redefines cooling off in the NOLA heat with underwater lights, music, and the most comfortable cabanas under white-and-black umbrellas. The best bit? You can swim year-round in what is the largest hotel pool in New Orleans, as it’s temperature-controlled.

Exquisite Service

This being the Four Seasons, you can only imagine the exceptional levels of service here. We’ll make the case that the staff here is probably the smartest dressed hotel staff in the town, with their Panama hars and fitted blue tunics. Plus, there’s a Louisianan friendliness that further softened the polite formality of the Four Seasons brand. The same is the case with the coterie of suave attendants who welcomed us into the property, complete with a professional and discerning check-in process. This extends to everywhere in the hotel, where we were greeted by name and met with smiles, no matter how many times we went where. Impressive and consistent levels of service are what one can expect from the Four Seasons brand, with a sprinkling of local flavor.

Stay in Style

Rooms and suites are divided between city and river views, all with floor-to-ceiling windows and spellbinding views. The mid-century modern-inspired furnishings heavily feature white oak, with the stand-out features being the delightful plaster wall reliefs of magnolia flowers over the beds. We loved the memorably chic white Carrara marble bathrooms, which are as sleek as they’re romantic and spa-like. There’s no hint of stuffiness at all, and the effect is reassuringly chic. In fact, the attention to detail here is impressive, right from clothes brushes in the closets to the grooming accessories and wireless phone chargers. Topping everything off are the many high-tech control panels that simplify personalizing ambient preferences. Not only that, but there are also 12 accessible rooms and suites, as well as 2 specialty suites, including the two-bedroom suite and the presidential suite.

Pros

• This is the perfect place to indulge in an absolute luxury stay experience in New Orleans.
• It has some very indulgent amenities, including the largest temperature-controlled pool in New Orleans, which is on the rooftop.
• The restaurants are amongst the finest in the city.

Cons

• It’s one of the most expensive hotels in the city, but it’s worth the luxury.

Conclusion

Four Seasons offers the luxury expected from the brand but with a NOLA twist. Besides impressive and consistent service that one can always count on, the Four Seasons NOLA gets everything right: the location, the amenities, the upscale vibe, and the local flavor.

Read Also

• 11 Best French Quarter Boutique Hotels (New Orleans)
• 11 Historic Hotels in New Orleans
• Top 11 Gay-Friendly Hotels In New Orleans
• Top 12 Things To Do In New Orleans
• Top 11 Pet-Friendly Hotels In New Orleans 2024 – WOW Travel

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What makes the Four Seasons Hotel so special?
A: Four Seasons has redefined luxury for modern discerning travelers without being overwhelming.

Q: How many floors is the Four Seasons Hotel NOLA?
A: The Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences NOLA is a historic 33-story skyscraper designed by noted architect Edward Durell Stone.

Q: How far is Four Seasons NOLA from the airport?
A: The Four Seasons NOLA is approximately 13 mi (21 km) away and takes approximately 20 minutes to drive there.