Luxury Escapes Guide to New Orleans

An intoxicating blend of museum, multi-media exhibition, mixology lab, distillery and bar, Sazerac House lovingly traces the history of New Orleans’ favourite cocktail from inception to modern day. It’s a glimpse into the story of the drink behind so much of the city’s fascinating history, housed in one of the city’s most magnificent buildings, a masterfully renovated three-storey Italianate building that once served as a hat factory. Dive in with a self-guided tour before treating yourself to one of the establishment’s spirited tasting experiences, introducing guests to some of the region’s most notorious cocktails, like the Corpse Reviver #2 and the Shrunken Skull. Spooky!

Affectionately called ‘Gallery Row,’ Julia Street proudly hosts more than a dozen of the city’s finest art galleries, ranging from local Louisiana outré pieces at 600 Julia to the Ogden Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of Southern art. For something a bit zestier, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery has a reputation for showcasing highly charged political art, while the Contemporary Arts Centre goes broader with a focus on multidisciplinary and under-represented artists. The first Saturday of each month offers the perfect opportunity to discover Julia’s treasures, with each gallery proudly premiering new exhibitions to the public.

After time discovering New Orleans’ legendary taste for excess, a day of calm, quiet indulgence can be just what you need. While the city offers an abundance of excellent day spas and wellness centres, Spa Atlantis stands a cut above the rest with treatments ranging from raindrop essential oil therapy to tarot card readings, full-body seaweed wraps, IV treatments and more. It’s the perfect chance to slow down, restore, rejuvenate and ready yourself for more.

Southern socialite-inspired whimsy doesn’t come any better than at the Peacock Room. Boasting luxury flourishes in every conceivable harmony of blue and gold, this modern cocktail lounge is the perfect place to begin (or end) your night in New Orleans. The cuisine more than matches the decor, with decadent French classics given a mighty Cajun spin. Think eggs benedict topped with Louisiana Gulf shrimp or brioche hot chicken sandwiches slathered with fiery comeback sauce. The cocktail menu is equally dressed to impress; try the Washoku Marii, a ramen-themed spin on the bloody Mary, or sip your way through the house’s signature high tea punch, built with bourbon, chai and citrus and best enjoyed with a friend.

For an authentic taste of Louisiana history with a heaping side of Dixieland jazz, look no further than Commander’s Palace. The acclaimed Garden District institution has been serving lip-smackingly good Creole since 1893, picking up seven coveted James Beard Foundation Awards along the way. Highly recommended is the restaurant’s signature jazz brunch, best enjoyed beneath the dining room’s glittering chandeliers. Start with a bloody Mary and the Creole gumbo (dashed lavishly with hot sauce), finish with the whiskey-cream bread pudding souffle and savour every moment of the journey in between.

Reimagined after a multi-million-dollar renovation, Restaurant R’evolution’s back with a vengeance. Expect Cajun classics delivered with playful whimsy, with dishes like the Death by Gumbo, served with a whole roasted quail, and a coffee and chili- rubbed rack of venison. A constantly evolving cocktail menu serves as the perfect accompaniment – try the Le Beau, a revitalising highball of brandy and housemade strawberry tarragon shrub, topped with soda.

There’s a guaranteed recipe for the perfect afternoon in the French Quarter: spend it at Arnaud’s. Start with a champagne cocktail – prepared by a tuxedoed bartender and heady with VS cognac – at French 75, the restaurant’s elegant libation parlour, before enjoying a meal at any of the establishment’s four exquisite dining rooms. You won’t want to skip the shrimp cocktail entrée – doused in a tangy remoulade blend, it’s justifiably Arnaud’s signature dish – but highly recommended is the frogs legs Provençale, crispy fried and topped with a delicious compound butter infused with Herbsaint, the city’s signature absinthe-adjacent liqueur.

After eight years as executive chef of Commander’s Palace, celebrated chef Emereil Lagasse set out to redefine modern New Orleans cookery. He more than delivered with Emeril’s, breathing new life into Louisiana classics like smoked salmon cheesecake (finished with reserve caviar) and lobster matched with buttered leeks and red wine gumbo. Not even the drinks are safe: the old fashioned’s been given a facelift with small-batch bourbon and artisanal bitters, while the humble punch jug is elevated with fresh blueberries, hibiscus and lavender.