Upon being invited to attend the 2022 Freddie Awards in New Orleans, I needed a place to stay — and although the official Internet web site of the Freddie Awards had a link to book a reservation at the Eliza Jane hotel property, I found a rate of approximately half the price at the Saint James Hotel, which is located right across Magazine Street at the corner of Natchez Street.
My First Stay at a voco Hotel Property
The Saint James Hotel is a historic property with a nice — but not ostentatious — main entrance through a glass door, with which one can either pull or push.
The hotel property is part of the voco brand of InterContinental Hotels Group, at which I have never stayed as a guest.
The building itself was erected in 1833 and since restored twice — once in 1941 and again in 1999.
After entering the small lobby through the glass door, two desks comprise of the front desk area, which is located on the right; while the elevator is on the left.
Behind the front desk area is a parlor of sorts, with plenty of seating and books. It is a comfortable and rather quiet place to relax.
The front desk area is to the left and behind the partial wall of the parlor. The paintings are real.
The windowed doors in the parlor face Magazine Street. One can watch people outside walk by the hotel property.
Venture past the front desk further into the interior of the hotel property to be in an area where people can gather and sit to have drinks or food.
On the right in the background is the glass door which is the main entrance to the hotel property, with white chairs of the front desk area on the left.
The bar area was not open at the time this photograph was taken.
Behind the hotel property is the entrance to a small courtyard…
…and the courtyard has tables and chairs — as well as palm trees and assorted plants.
After visiting the outdoor courtyard, I went inside of the hotel property to check in as a guest. They were gracious enough to allow me to check in earlier than the official time to check in by at least a couple of hours.
After checking in at the front desk, I headed towards the room. Outside the elevator bank on the second floor was a touch-tone telephone which was styled like the telephones which existed decades prior.
Vending machines are inconspicuously hidden behind doors.
The hallways are not all that long; and some of the rooms are up a few steps and within their own alcoves.
Final Boarding Call
The room and the stay itself will be featured in a future article here at The Gate, as I had experienced something with the particular room in which I stayed that I never experienced before — so I will not reveal the final verdict just yet…
…but I did like my first impression of the Saint James Hotel property when I first walked into it.
Please click here for part two of the review of my experience at this hotel property…
All photographs ©2022 by Brian Cohen.
