JMI Realty revealed plans to open a Kimpton Hotel in New Orleans in early 2020. The Kimpton Hotel Fontenot will feature 202 guestrooms, a signature restaurant and bar and a corner café.
The hotel, within blocks of the central business district and the French Quarter, will be located near the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Mercedes-Benz Superdome and Smoothie King Center. The hotel will mark Kimpton’s return to New Orleans after a 15-year absence from the market.
“Returning to New Orleans has been a priority for us for more than a decade,” Mike DeFrino, CEO of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, said in a statement. “This is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the country, drawing people from all over the world to its incredible music, culture and food scene. We’re very excited our long-time partner JMI Realty LLC will help us bring our signature brand of Kimpton hospitality back to the heart of it all.”
The Kimpton Hotel Fontenot includes the adaptive reuse of former historic New Orleans buildings, as well as the conversion of an existing hotel. MarkZeff Architecture and Interior Design and Delawie Architecture are leading the design work on the project.
“We’re thrilled to grow our presence in New Orleans,” Greg Clay, president of JMI Realty, said in a statement. “Last year we acquired the Staybridge Suites and the three adjacent historic buildings located in what we consider to be the best location in the city—Poydras and Tchoupitoulas. We have spent the last 12 months reinventing those buildings and we can’t wait to introduce Hotel Fontenot to the market in early 2020. Our history of successful partnerships with Kimpton proves that together we can create something very special around all that New Orleans has to offer.”