climate where hotel companies are turning to reflags and conversions as a mode of net-unit growth with new development still stymied by stubbornly high interest rates and expensive constructive costs.“ In today’ s capital-constrained environment, conversions have become a key driver of NUG,” Hansen said. |
||||||
|
and Maison de la Luz( Maison Métier). Both are now managed by HRI Hospitality.
Though both The Domain Companies and Hyatt declined to comment, speculation is that key money, a payment made by a hotel operator or franchisor to a hotel owner to secure a management or franchise agreement, and an instrument that has become more frequently
|
deployed in recent times due to macroeconomic and capital market constraints, was employed in this deal.
For Hyatt, extracting two hotels of their caliber was a coup; prior, it had five hotels in the city and one falling under the Mr & Mrs Smith collection.“ We recognized an opportunity to expand our lifestyle and luxury offerings to meet growing
|
The entranceway of Maison Métier, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
demand,” said Dan Hansen, head of Americas development at Hyatt.“ Working with Domain on this deal was a natural fit, as The Barnett aligns with the vibrant, community-driven ethos of the JdV by Hyatt brand, while Maison Métier embodies the independent spirit and refined character of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.” This is especially true in a
The lobby at The Barnett, part of JdV by Hyatt.
|
CRESCENT CITY ÉCLAT Hyatt ticked all the boxes with The Barnett and Maison Métier. New Orleans is a city that constantly reinvents itself, but its rich heritage, steeped in music and food, lends itself to the city’ s bonhomie and is what keeps people flocking in droves. It’ s also an event mecca, from Mardi Gras to Super Bowl( its hosted the big game 11 times). In 2023, New Orleans reported close to 18 million visitors.
Unlike the splendor of the Garden District or the frenetic French Quarter, The Barnett and Maison Métier sit in the city’ s central business district, which though has a downtown feel, certainly is not staid. Contiguous to the hotels is Gallier Hall, the former city hall of New Orleans, while a block away is Virgin Hotels New Orleans. The area deftly blends the new and the old.
Maison Métier has a long, storied history. Originally built as an annex to Gallier Hall, what’ s now the hotel’ s Salon Salon bar and lounge was at one time the Louisiana State Bar Association library. Tammy Pati, Maison Métier’ s hotel manager, shared that it was
|
|||
July / August 2025 hotelsmag. com 47 |