The Art Deco-inspired Higgins Hotel & Conference Center in New Orleans, the official hotel of the National World War II Museum located in the blossoming Arts and Warehouse District, opened on December 6 as part of Hilton’s Curio Collection with 230 rooms, four dining outlets and 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
With an anticipated ADR in the US$220-250 range and occupancy expected to land between 75% and 80%, the 4-star hotel strikes a nice balance between the new and old, showcasing World War II through the unique lens of design, decor, era-inspired menus and entertainment, according to Marc Becker, the hotel’s director of sales and marketing. “Throughout the hotel are artifacts that were hand-selected from the museum, creating a truly immersive experience for guests. The challenge we face is handling the demand for space and guest rooms from interested groups looking to be in proximity to the museum,” Becker said.
Interior design firm Kay Lang and Associates worked alongside museum curators to hand-select artifacts from the institution’s extensive collection to incorporate into the 1940’s-themed design aesthetic created by architectural firm Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates. Among these artifacts are General George S. Patton’s piano; the Higgins Boat Trophy, which was presented to General Arthur Trudeau for his service in the Amphibian Command; and a 1943 portrait of Andrew Jackson Higgins, for whom the hotel is named.
Also noteworthy is the conference center, with 18,000 square feet of event space inclusive of sophisticated boardrooms, meeting areas and a ballroom. The hotel can also provide meeting planners with access to the museum’s own venue spaces, offering even more unique options for events.