Hotel Review: Luxury Birthday Stay at the Virgin Hotel New Orleans
Let’s talk about the time I felt like a lil’ baddie worth a million bucks.
It was during my 30th birthday when I decided to usher in the new decade with a luxury birthday stay at the Virgin Hotel in New Orleans.
Growing up on the Gulf Coast, I had been to New Orleans several times during Mardi Gras, Essence Festival, and when spending time down in the French Quarter with family.
But in my adult years, I’ve been reintroduced to the city, getting to know its curvy streets, its history, its current concerns, and its gems that extend beyond Bourbon Street.
New Orleans is known for its cultural and culinary richness, its vibrancy, color, and music.
Knowing that I wanted to spend my birthday in the city and splurge on myself a bit, I decided to find a hotel that would provide modern amenities along with high quality experiences and events.
So after narrowing down my search, I landed on the Virgin Hotel New Orleans for a few reasons.
Reason One
The entire hotel’s website screamed color, fun and eccentricity - from the overall hotel decor to the individual rooms. The artsy, modern feel was right up my alley and I knew that if I stayed there, I would have a quirky, cool experience that also offered class.
Reason Two
The hotel’s rooftop bar and pool looked absolutely fun + the line up of free public events that would be hosted there during my birthday was a plus!
Because I was only staying for the weekend and for two nights, I didn’t want to waste time traveling from venue to venue to have a good time. So the fact that there would be some dope events to attend without even having to leave the hotel was a-ok with me.
So let’s get into the hotel review, and what made my luxury bday stay at the Virgin Hotel in New Orleans a birthday to remember, shall we?
The Virgin Hotel New Orleans
Check in/Arrival:
The outside of the Virgin Hotel New Orleans
When I pulled up to the hotel, which is located on Baronne Street in between the Warehouse district and Downtown, I was warmly welcomed by the hotel’s valet service.
Because the Virgin Hotel is in the middle of downtown, parking isn’t necessarily easy. However, the hotel does offer 24/7 valet and overnight parking at $48/night. There are some street parking options available for pay on streets that run parallel to the Virgin Hotel. Depending on when you visit, you might drive around to compare whether the street parking is cheaper than the valet’s rate. Since I wanted ease through and through, I chose to park my car with the valet - especially since I didn’t plan to leave the hotel at all that weekend.
When I walked into the hotel, I was immediately by the concierge desk- operated by two beautiful black women. I could tell by their accents that they were from New Orleans…which honestly made me happy that the hotel prioritized offering employment to local community members. The women were dressed to the NINES by the way (funny I don’t really know what that statement means)...but they were! Anyway, they continued to welcome me in the warm manner that the valet had greeted me with, and answered all of my questions and made sure I knew the many offerings of the hotel. I knew after check in that I had indeed booked the right stay.
Hotel Decor:
As much as I noticed the concierge’s beautiful style, when I walked into the Virgin Hotel, I also took in the atmosphere of the lobby, which was very much giving fabulous and fancy. Stepping into the hotel from off the busy street of Baronne, you’re immediately immersed in a room with large floor to ceiling walls wrapped in a delicious bubblegum pink paint.
Inside the elevators at The Virgin Hotel
The concierge desk is a centered simple large wooden desk, surrounded by intriguing art and lighting fixtures. In the lobby, there are also large palms and patterns on the floor that contributed to a poppin’ first impression, and that also made me feel like I had entered a vibrant oasis.
Once I was checked in, I moved into the Funny Library, which is a large lounge space filled with books, magazines, and a coffee shop. The seating inside the library range from cafe seats to cozy sofas, to a long dining table with chairs.
Again, art and patterns everywhere! There’s so much to look at in this room that you could really schedule this in as one of your ‘to do’s’. I relaxed here for a bit to people watch and flip through some of the cool art books that were on the tables.
Beyond the library are the elevators that send guests up to their rooms and to the rooftop. Each elevator is filled with a reflecting mirror door on the inside so that of course you can check yourself out while you’re waiting to get to your floor.
The vibrancy and color is present in every area and corner of this hotel. If you’re one to explore, definitely walk around and check out as much as you can. There’s truly detail in every little thing at the Virgin Hotel New Orleans.
The Rooms
But where the magic happens is on the floor levels and inside the hotel rooms.
Stepping out of the elevator, I immediately stepped onto an art-deco carpet that led me all the way to my room. There were all types of art on the surrounding walls, and every door to each room was a bright cherry red with dazzling spotlights above. It felt to me like I was really about to enter a party, or a room on a cruise ship.
The Virgin Hotel New Orleans calls their rooms “chambers” and “suites”. If booking a chamber, you have the option of choosing a king bed, 2 queen beds, or a king bed with a city view. For the suites, there’s the option to book the penthouse suite, Sir Richard’s Flat, or the Grand Chamber King Suite.
I chose to reserve a chamber king bed with a view of the city. Honestly, my mouth dropped open when I walked into the room. I’m a sucker for nice hotels, and this one by far exceeded my expectations. I came into a brightly lit area with two large wooden closets, a vanity, and a washing space. This first room was separated from the bedroom by large French doors.
Inside The Chamber
The vanity area has a large sleek wooden desk, with a colorfully patterned ottoman to sit atop facing a big illuminated mirror. Across from the vanity was the marble sink area, enclosed bathroom and shower. The toilet space was decorated with pink and black wallpaper that made me feel bougie af when using the restroom. The shower was built like a sauna with a seated area for you to sit while the rainfall shower wet you up from above.
Small things that stood out to me in this area were the two large comfy robes and the delicious smelling hand soap - Red Flower Palo Santo Softening Lotion.
Hanging out in the window seat; the city behind me
As you move past the French doors into the sleeping area, the bed really steals the show here. A large whopping king sized bed sits in an encapsulated rust colored velvet material that is the bed frame. This bed is a patented ergonomically designed bed by Virgin Hotels - I truly had the best sleep on this mattress!
In the sleeping area, there’s also a cute, small red retro 50s style SMEG fridge stocked with all types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In case you’re hungry, there are also many snacks for you to choose from.
The second highlight in this area is the built in window seat where you can view the open sky and the city of New Orleans. I sat here at moments during the night and day to just relish in the beauty of this entire experience.
Other offerings in this space were a yoga mat, which was great for me to continue my commitment to practicing yoga each morning! A small table for you to sit/work at. And a large hi-DEF TV where you could order room service, check the weather, or watch something cool.
The mix of modernity, coziness, and quirkiness were really present in this room, from the strangely interesting art on the walls to the beautiful hardwood floors.
The Commons Club
The Virgin Hotel provides a fine dining experience at the Commons Club - a bar and restaurant that offers delicious cocktails and a very interesting, yet delicious menu. The atmosphere in the Commons Club continues to match the hotel’s overall theme of art and luxury from the tableware to the seating.
My first night, I went to dinner alone and was treated so well by my waiter…who was also very handsome. I ordered a delicious bowl of pasta with a refreshing cocktail, and just simply basked in the vibes of the restaurant. It was fairly quiet, but a lot of people were coming through to dine.
I found out later that there’s so much seating and so many different types of seating throughout the restaurant. There’s also a spot called the Shag Room that offers a more intimate seating experience - I didn’t get to hang out in here, but will make sure to do so on my next visit. The Commons Club does wrap up to the second level of the hotel where there’s more lounging, seating area, and LARGE public bathrooms.
The Rooftop/Pool Club Nola
The entrance to the Pool Club
And now we get to the top floor where the pool resides. What an experience! When the elevator got to the top floor, I could immediately hear the music bumping past the doors. I was greeted by a host, who motioned for us to walk through to the bar and pool.
Before even getting there though, there’s this beautiful inside space where the host is, and it kind of feels like the inside of a greenhouse. Definitely a spot to chill and relax before going out into the sun.
And as you walk out into the bar/pool area, you’re immediately greeted by tables and the bartenders. The menu was great - unfortunately I don’t remember what I ordered but it was tasty, and the bartenders were kind and patient enough to answer my questions and wait while I decided - even though it was a busy night!
I visited the pool twice. First, I went at night and did some beautiful stargazing while some chill vibe music was playing from the speakers. People weren’t really in the pool at this time, but were just enjoying each other and holding conversations. Chilling rooftop/poolside is now a hobby of mine.
The next day, however, the pool area was even more live as there was a huge day party going on. I invited my auntie, whom I share a birthday with, to this. And what a time we HAD! There was a live DJ playing music and had us grooving to throwbacks and good vibes. We mingled alot and could see more of the city in the daytime. It was hot, but there were fans and spaces for us to get out of the sun.
Pool Club NOLA
I did get in the pool, which was slightly crowded, but was still enough space for me to relax and do my thang. Everyone looked like they were out of a movie, and looked fabulous!
Captured during the Sustenance Day Party
The last day that I went, there was another day party and another DJ. This party was hosted by Support Black Art, and called Sustenance. It was a day of celebrating Black art and creativity - and it truly truly was. The host, Renee, was such a delight! The DJ, DJ Kuti, was mixing the jams and had us in there gettin it to Square Biz to Teena Marie.
This was my last day at the hotel, and I’m truly glad I stayed to enjoy the vibes under the sun!
I ended my trip by stopping by The Funny Library Coffee Shop to grab a latte before hitting the road back to Mississippi. The barista was this sweet and trendy black woman from NOLA, who also gave me the deets on where she got her galactic blue nails did. Still, warm and friendly and nourishing vibes on the way OUT THE DOOR.
Sidenote: The coffee shop does also sell breakfast foods and pastries if you’re needing more fuel for your day :)
Don’t get me wrong, I did leave the hotel a few times! I ended up walking around the area to view the beautiful street art and found lovely large murals, some created by the local and famous New Orleans artist Bmike and Journey Allen. I also knew that the Van Gogh Immersive Experience was showing nearby on Carondelet St, so I went to experience that - it was so so beautiful. Plus, I had a delicious brunch experience at this poppin’ cafe called Bearcat CBD. Yall, the food, the drinks, and the vibe…were all I could ask for for a Bday brunch :’)
My luxury bday stay at the Virgin Hotel in New Orleans was truly one to remember, and will always be a memorable and rewarding kick off into my thirties. I experienced the delicacy, fabulousness, and warmth - not only inside the hotel but that was residing within me.
If you’re planning a visit to New Orleans, definitely think about spending your stay at the Virgin Hotel for a quirky, eclectic experience in the city!
Have you ever stayed at the Virgin Hotel? There are many around the country! If you have, let me know how you enjoyed it! Or maybe you stayed somewhere else in NOLA - recommend down in the comments below :)