This new hotel, restaurant and bar located in the spirited Uptown neighbourhood of New Orleans blends the city’s vibrant history with modern touches

As the first hotel from restaurateur Robert LeBlanc of ​LeBLANC + SMITH​ (Sylvain, Barrel Proof, Cavan, Longway Tavern, Meauxbar), The Chloe offers 14 well-appointed rooms designed by fellow New Orleanian, Sara Ruffin Costello, that are housed in a Victorian-era building originally designed by renowned local architect Thomas Sully. 

Ornate wrought iron gates set the scene, leading into an expansive brick patio and a front porch featuring original tiles from the 1860s. Guests entering the lobby are greeted with signature cocktails before checking into their room, which are a sensory feast. Existing design details remain, including intricate tile flooring, dark woodwork, complex plaster mouldings, exceptionally tall ceilings and a grand staircase with alligators scrambling down the red carpet. Moodier themes signature to New Orleans, including mysticism and the natural world, that are reflected through the design with dim lighting, darker hues, slow-turning fans and winding rooms that evoke the feeling of mystery.

Upstairs, the 14 guest rooms are filled with a unique sense of whimsy and wonder, each with its own distinct design touches. These include modern soaking tubs, four-poster beds or low spindle beds and photography and artwork from blue chip artists to rare vintage finds. While the Victorian port city theme prevails, the rooms feel light and elegant with crisp, white Italian monogrammed sheets from ​Bellino​ and hand-stitched cocktail napkins for bedside water carafes. Vinyls from famed local record store,​ ​Peaches Records​ await each guest based on local legends like Louis Armstrong, Lil Wayne and musicians they’ve influenced. In each room, guests can find breezy, custom robes from New Orleans-based Trish Bhansali’s brand​ ​Lekha​ and bathroom accessories from​ ​Five Wits​, along with amenities from neighbourhood makers like bath salts, oil and pillow spray from​ ​Oxalis Apothecary​ and hand-thrown toiletry holders by Baton Rouge-born ceramicist Demetria Chappo​. Lighting fixtures from​ ​Urban Electric​ fill the space and fabrics from​ ​House of Hackney​ and​ ​Morris & Co adorn mismatched chairs, each embroidered with a cat that used to hang out at the original hotel as a love note to the vernacular of the house and the era. 

Downstairs, The Chloe’s restaurant brings LeBLANC + SMITH’s 21st century Southern hospitality to life with a menu featuring modern takes on New Orleans classics from executive chef Todd Pulsinelli (formerly August, Domenica, The American Sector) such as a muffaletta egg roll, gumbo z’herbes agnolotti and shrimp etouffee dumplings. The main dining room houses neo-Victorian light fixtures amidst a verdant tangle of hanging ivy and ferns, ochre leather banquettes and marble-topped tables, while outdoor seating is available underneath crepe myrtle trees on a stone patio. Fireside communing and work tables in the reception area lead into a jewel box lounge with an egret mural, while a disguised doorway veils a private dining room for more intimate gatherings. 

The Chloe’s bar, overseen by Jason Sorbet (21st Amendment at La Louisiane, Barrel Proof), features a mahogany bar custom built by local woodworker Ron Lee, housed in the former panelled library. Flickering candle lamps and alabaster wall sconces create a moody, warm glow while guests enjoy a selection of cocktails and spirits. Drinks carts are also on each floor for daily bar service. 

Outdoors, an inviting pool and herb garden run adjacent to the outdoor bar area, lined with Meyer lemon trees, Haitian-inspired limestone and travertine checkerboard stone hardscape. Tropical palmettos provide shade throughout the pool space, while hidden nooks, like a sunken pea gravel garden with seating, an elevated front porch and a dining patio provide breezy spots for taking in the Louisiana sunshine. With its thoughtful design approach and distinct New Orleans spirit through and through, The Chloe is truly an ideal destination to discover the unparalleled magic of the city.