Project description: The Omni Royal Orleans is undergoing a hotel-wide renovation that will span two years. Upgrades include a new Fifi Parée coffee shop, renovated promenade and main lobby/mezzanine space, renovations to The Grand Ballroom, renovated Three Maries Jazz Club and Royal Bar, a reimagined La Riviera Rooftop & Pool Bar, a refreshed Rib Room, renovations to the Royal Garden and second floor meeting spaces, and renovated guest rooms.

Address: 621 St. Louis St., New Orleans
Owner: Omni Hotels & Resorts
Architect for public spaces: Farouki Farouki
Contractor: Ryan Gootee General Contractors LLC
Project Lead: Brandon Hebert, RGGC Project Manager
Square Footage: 37,500 square feet
Renovation cost: Undisclosed
Start date: July 2025
Completion date: estimated Spring 2027

An historic New Orleans hotel, located in the heart of the French Quarter, is getting a makeover, and guests are beginning to see the additions and upgrades. The Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, a AAA Four Diamond property at 621 St. Louis St., has debuted its first phase of renovations as part of a comprehensive, two-year project that will reimagine several of the hotel’s signature spaces while preserving its historic character.

The renovation of the public spaces is led by New Orleans architecture firm Farouki Farouki and Metairie-based Ryan Gootee General Contractors. All work is being phased to keep the hotel operational throughout construction and to minimize noise and disruption.

“The renovation is designed to broaden Omni Royal Orleans’s appeal while deepening its connection to New Orleans’ cultural fabric,” said Travis Tague, General Manager at Omni Royal Orleans Hotel. “The addition of new social and entertainment spaces creates more opportunities for both locals and travelers to gather, dine, and experience the spirit of the city.”

The first phase included a new Fifi Parée coffee shop, a renovated promenade and main lobby/mezzanine space, and renovations to The Grand Ballroom. By the end of 2025, the 37,500-square-foot hotel will open a Three Maries Jazz Club and a renovated Royal Bar. In time for Mardi Gras 2026, there will be a newly reimagined La Riviera Rooftop & Pool Bar and a refreshed Rib Room. The 345 hotel rooms and suites are scheduled to begin in summer 2026.

“These enhancements not only attract a new generation of guests seeking vibrant, immersive experiences but also extend the hotel’s reach into the local social scene, driving incremental food and beverage revenue,” Tague said. “At the same time, refreshed guest rooms, event spaces, and the reimagined Rib Room restaurant are expected to strengthen the property’s standing as a luxury destination for leisure travelers, business events, and weddings.”

The Fifi Parée coffee shop, styled as a Parisian flower shop, opened on Oct. 20. Design features include lush green tones, a hand-painted mural of New Orleans flora, marble floors, and vintage touches that evoke a hidden Left Bank gem. It blends French design influences with local flavor, serving New Orleans’ Congregation Coffee, pastries from Ayu Bakehouse, grab-and-go items, and specialty beverages. The café is named after “Mademoiselle Fifi,” the first cat to cross the English Channel by airplane, accompanying American aviator John B. Moisant.

Also, within the first phase, the Grand Ballroom was renovated to reflect French sophistication through subtle plaster ceiling details, neutral tones, and soft taupe-and-gray carpeting. It is now open for bookings, including weddings and special events. All remaining meeting spaces will carry the same refined design and are slated for completion in early 2026.

At the heart of the hotel, the 68-seat Three Maries Jazz Club will open by the end of 2025, embracing New Orleans’ vibrant live music scene. “The space will pair world-class performances with evocative design elements – dark walls, golden limewash accents, and lush floral details that evoke the romance of garden conservatories,” Tague said.

The Royal Bar, located in the lobby of the hotel, will be renovated and reopened by the end of 2025. “It will bring the elegance of European glasshouses to life with a horseshoe-shaped brass bar, dark marble floors, chevron wood, and limewashed walls with black trim,” Tague said. “With 84 seats, it will create an inviting atmosphere ideal for aperitifs or afternoon retreats.”

Set to open in early 2026, La Riviera Rooftop & Pool Bar will be “a chic retreat inspired by the glamour of the French Riviera,” Tague said. “The refreshed space will feature a retractable awning, panoramic views of the city, and a tucked-away observation deck designed for intimate VIP dining. La Riviera will elevate the rooftop experience, positioning it as one of the most desirable rooftop venues in the French Quarter.”

First Phase Completed Quickly and with Minimal Hotel Disruption

To minimize disruption to the hotel’s operations, RGGC built temporary walls to keep areas segmented and worked with hotel operations staff to stay on top of room and event schedules. In only 35 calendar days as part of the first phase, RGGC completed a massive renovation of the Grand Ballroom, Prefunction, Bonaparte Hall, and the restrooms. The first phase also addressed significant infrastructure updates, including electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, to meet current standards.

“We were granted a short gap between scheduled events in those areas, and our team worked seven days a week to achieve our goal for that phase,” said Brandon Hebert, RGGC Project Manager. “This phase required detailed coordination, quick decision-making, and strong collaboration across multiple trades, Omni Construction and Operations, and Farouki Farouki.”

Hebert added: “We employed multiple specialized trades – millwork, flooring, plaster, glazing, and countertop – to highlight each company’s strengths. We ensured quality through daily QA/QC walks, utilizing three full-time on-site superintendents, and conducting weekly walks with trade partners to review completed scope, successfully meeting both preservation standards and the owner’s modern quality expectations and upgrades.”

Marrying Historic Influence with Modern Designs

As part of the early stages of the design process, the Farouki Farouki team visited The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) and researched the history of the hotel property and building.

“It was important for us to understand how the site and structure changed over the decades, but really, we were looking for pattern, color, and interior architecture influence and how to marry that historic influence with our modern designs,” said Jenny Renn Key, Senior Interior Designer at Farouki Farouki.

One overarching design goal, Key said, was to unify the interior design styles from the various decades of renovation, and to refresh and modernize the hotel without losing its character. “I think we were able to successfully simplify the architectural languages with thoughtfully designed millwork and balanced color schemes, while keeping the elegance and intimacy of the public spaces,” Key said. “It was a hard needle to thread, given the constraints, but I’m proud of the spaces completed thus far in the renovation.”

In addition to Omni’s overall desire to refresh and modernized finishes, furniture and lighting, Key said the goal for the first floor was to create an inviting new lobby experience. “Currently the lobby is quite linear along a ‘promenade’ and there’s not a great casual gathering space. By converting adjacent meeting rooms, the hotel will now have many seating group options around a large bar and the ability to book performances in a ‘Jazz Club.’”

She added there several notable design themes that drew on New Orleans influences. “The arched promenade along the exterior façade,” Key said, referring to the thresholds at the Rib Room, Royal Bar, Fifi Parée coffee shop, and ballroom, “influenced us to look at perfect geometries celebrated within the new millwork design, furniture, and light fixtures. To add another layer, you’ll see floral and marbled patterns throughout the spaces that add an organic overlay to these perfect geometries, that are also in keeping with French Quarter motifs. We infused Parisian themes – high contrast statements, comfortable elegance – and kept the 1960’s theme of the rooftop of ‘La Riviera’.”

Tague said preserving the Omni Royal Orleans’ historic charm was central to the renovation.

“The team carefully maintained signature architectural details – from wrought-iron balconies to marble finishes – while layering in refined, modern touches inspired by Parisian elegance,” he said. “Each new space, from the Royal Bar to the guest rooms, blends vintage textures and classic craftsmanship with updated lighting, furnishings, and functionality. The result honors the hotel’s 19th-century heritage while creating a fresh, timeless experience that feels both distinctly New Orleans and unmistakably Omni.”