Hotel Peter and Paul New Orleans
We just made it home from a (longer than expected) weekend spent exploring New Orleans. While I wasn’t quite prepared for the hot 85+ degree October weather, one thing I was very much into… ducking into gorgeous hotels, admiring architecture, learning about history, and taking full advantage of amazing local food. We stayed at Hotel Peter and Paul, which is a historic property (circa 1860) that includes an Irish Catholic church, a rectory, and an old elementary school. The three buildings combined make up a beautifully reimagined hotel, restaurant / bar, and event space. I keep a running list of hotels around the world I’d like to visit someday in the notes on my phone, and this one had been on my list for a few years now. I was excited to finally visit! Click through for a fun tour and a peek into our weekend away…
Design
Being a Scorpio during spooky season, I had to ask if the historic building in which we were planning to stay was haunted… but to my dismay, the answer was no. No weird happenings. Do they say that to everyone, though? It did have good energy (nothing weird happened, ha)– bright natural light with all the charm, drama, and finishes expertly aged, thanks to time time (perfect patina!)… everything you’d expect from a recently restored 19th century structure…
Emmett & I wandered around snapping photos, admiring the antiques, pointing out cool structural features, and being our nerdy design selves. It was honestly the most fun!
Our Room
We stayed in the School House, in the Grande Loft– which was a nice surprise because it had a cute little spiral staircase up the bed. I’ve always wanted a spiral staircase… in an art studio, to a loft, to an attic- to anywhere, really. Ha!
Here’s a quick tour of our room. It had a seating area, dining table, desk, and plenty of room on the main level. The bed was in the loft up the stairs.
Elsyian Restaurant, Bar & Patio
The Elysian Bar & Restaurant was top notch- we loved it… the aesthetic, the food, the cocktails. It’s convenient if you’re staying at the hotel, and worth a drive or walk if you’re interested in checking out the Marigny area.
I will say- their patio was among one of the best I’ve been to. It’s secluded, breezy, quaint, and super charming. If you’re looking for a spot to cool off with a cocktail, this is the ideal spot.
It’s located in the rectory building of the hotel. Cute, right? I liked the iron patio furniture and mosaic bistro tables.
The Cathedral
The cathedral was in use for the majority of the weekend (for weddings), but we were able to poke our heads in quickly between ceremonies for a peek. It’s pink and colorful inside! That was a neat surprise…
Having spent a lot of time studying and visiting cathedrals during my art school days in Europe, I’m also looking up for hand painted religious frescos…
Exterior
Here’s a peek at the exterior… the school house is on the left, the rectory in the middle, and the church on the right. It’s quite a large property.
You can read more about the history and renovation here. It’s pretty interesting! Emmett & I were chatting about how it would be a dream for us to renovate a historic or really old building and turn it into a hotel someday. Doesn’t that sound so fun? Here’s a pretty view from the interior staircase…
Evening Tour
We arrived in New Orleans late on Friday, so the first thing I noticed in the darkness as we pulled up to the hotel was the oversized gas lanterns and glowing string lights over the courtyard. The place was absolutely buzzing, as there was a wedding winding down.
We pulled open the heavy oak doors, stepped onto harlequin checkered marble floors, and took in the stunning atrium view. This place has a magic about it at night, but it’s equally as stunning with natural light flooding in during the daytime.
If there is one thing I can say about New Orleans, the food is incredible. I don’t think we had a bad meal the entire time we visited.
FAQ
Most definitely the grand staircase and original millwork. I was so glad to see the original and historic elements were kept. I think those priceless elements really complement the modern updates and monochromatic design plans of each area.
Really fabulous! We had something there everyday because it was convenient. I had a vegetarian squash entrée on our first evening (very good!) and Emmett had seafood gnocchi. We also tried their house focaccia, chocolate tart, and their cocktails were spot on. Give the Mr Follow Follow (ideal evening cocktail) and their House Spritz (perfect afternoon cocktail) a try.
Of course I loved the original architectural elements and millwork, but in regards to new additions… WaterWorks plumbing fixtures, marble tile, really cool lighting (see below), tons of pleated drapery, custom matching upholstery, and lots of antique pieces (furniture & art). 
While I thoroughly enjoyed our stay and the area- I’m all for mixing it up. We never stay in the same place twice. Someday when we return to New Orleans, we’ll probably try another boutique hotel. We had drinks at the following (also great options): Hotel Saint Vincent, The Chloe, and Maison du Luz.
Art & antique galleries, as well as historic house tours. Emmett & I both love learning new things while traveling, and I feel like we learned so much about New Orleans history, architecture, culture, and we ate fantastic food along the way (seriously 10/10). We also visited the World War II museum, which I’d highly recommend.
Honestly, we received a lot of warning messages about New Orleans during our trip (from Lyft & Uber drivers, direct messages on my IG, and mostly from locals). Almost every local we interacted with left us with a “bye- be safe!” message. Of course we’re always cautious when traveling, but I felt safe the entire time. The hotel is situated in a great area, we’re not overly late night people to begin with, so we made it back before midnight each evening, and we were definitely aware of our surroundings. I think the same safety travel rules apply to any city. I really enjoyed New Orleans!
I’m playing catch up since we arrived back home later than expected, but please leave me your comments & questions below! I’ll get to them within the next day or two, promise. You know I love to hear from you. I’m also happy to share additional New Orleans recommendations, if you have a trip planned soon. We had SO much good food.