The Eliza Jane Hotel Debuts In New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS, April 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rockbridge and HRI Properties, LLC proudly announce the opening of The Eliza Jane, a 196-room hotel centrally-located just two blocks from the French Quarter and a short walk away from many of the city's iconic landmarks.

The Eliza Jane is a thoughtful blend of elegance, combined with just the right mix of fancy and funky. This one-of-a-kind boutique hotel is built within nine historic warehouses that stand distinct on the outside but have been united inside to create sizable guest accommodations in addition to a 2,000 square-foot open-air interior courtyard. Inspired by the buildings' rich history, the hotel's design team drew inspiration from many of the buildings' original occupants: The Daily Picayune, the Gulf Baking Soda company, as well as the Peters Cartridge shop and Peychaud Bitters factory.

The hotel is named after Eliza Jane Nicholson, publisher of The Daily Picayune in the late 1800s and the first woman publisher of a major metropolitan newspaper in the United States. The hotel's design creatively showcases this rich history, giving guests and locals alike a glimpse into centuries-old stories and a feel of old New Orleans charm.

"Our goal with The Eliza Jane was to embrace the history and location of these distinct buildings to create a special experience for our guests. The team worked hard to capture the classic culture of New Orleans and has no doubt succeeded," said Jim Merkel, Rockbridge CEO. "We have really enjoyed our collaboration with HRI and Makeready to create a truly unique destination in New Orleans."

The Eliza Jane joins The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand, which launched in 2016 as a unique collection of new and existing luxury and upper-upscale properties offering unique stay experiences and story-worthy moments. HRI Lodging, LLC will oversee management and operations of property.

Designed by esteemed firm Stonehill Taylor, the hotel's accommodations and amenities comprise 196 guestrooms with 50 suites, including 12 signature suites, a fitness center, garden courtyard and food and beverage offerings by Makeready, which will feature a locally inspired restaurant and a lobby bar, which is now open. The Eliza Jane will also feature more than 1,700 square feet of multi-purpose event space, suitable for hosting meetings and celebrations, as well as an alfresco patio adjacent to the restaurant.

"New Orleans is one of the most exciting places in the country, and we are thrilled to bring a fresh take on the city's hospitality scene with the opening of The Eliza Jane," said General Manager Travis Tague. "The property fully embraces our city's spirit, and we look forward to complementing that by offering personalized and genuine New Orleans experiences to our guests."

About The Eliza Jane spaces:

Design by Stonehill Taylor
The hotel's interior, guestrooms and public spaces have been designed to create the perfect New Orleans getaway – a blend of old and new translated into design details that pay homage to the building's past in a sophisticated, yet playful way.

Upon arrival, guests enter an intimate, yet extravagant lobby of evergreen paneled walls, accented by a vibrant, large format hex-tiled floor that immediately sets the tone. A fluted glass storefront partition separates a lounge seating area from the main public space, creating layers to the arrival experience within a 60-foot-high atrium space. An oversized skylight and lush greenery soften the original exposed brick and plaster walls, which, together with the foliage-entrenched canopy glass bar, create the sense of a greenhouse or conservatory. Antique Oriental rugs and an eclectic collection of decorative lamps with brass accents complete the space.

Guestrooms & Suites
Pairing local heritage with modern amenities, The Eliza Jane's 196 guestrooms and suites have been carefully designed with the destination in mind. The guestroom design showcases hotel's upscale residential vibe with two schemes featuring rich colors, channel-tufted, ink-colored leather headboards, eclectic accent furniture, floral patterns, and brass and walnut accents throughout. Many of the rooms feature the hotel's original brick walls and ceiling beams - organically incorporated into the modern design of the rooms. Soaring ceilings create an oversized feel to the majority of guestrooms. The bathrooms are simple and elegant, with brass Kohler fixtures, dimensional white bevel subway tiles and either teal green vanities or wall-to-wall Carrera stone.

The hotel's suites pay homage to the building's histories and have been appointed names such as Editors Suite and Publisher's Suite. The suites are available with a king bed or two queen beds, offering 400-525 square feet of space, with expansive views of either Magazine Street or the hotel's garden courtyard. Although showcasing similar finishes to other rooms, suites have the unique addition of a full wet room with a freestanding tub.

Courtyard
The hotel's centerpiece will be an interior courtyard framed by original brick walls and lush, abundant foliage, creating a destination space within the property. Expected to open in June, The Courtyard's look and feel is influenced by Spanish architecture from New Orleans and connects the restaurant and hotel via small, arched passageways. A focal point in the courtyard will be a black-and-white tiled fountain with a neon "Bisous" sign and custom Venus-inspired sculpture by local artist, Brent Barnidge. The space will feature a variety of seating arrangements and antiques throughout, giving it an authentic atmosphere.

Food & Beverage Experiences
Embracing the rich culture of New Orleans, The Eliza Jane will introduce two compelling culinary and cocktail experiences with concepts thoughtfully curated and managed by Makeready, a company designed to create and operate hotel and restaurant brands with a focus on unique, localized projects. The hotel's dining options will include Couvant, a signature French brasserie that will put a modern twist on classic French fare, as well as The Press Room, the social lobby bar serving up freshly baked pastries and locally roasted coffee to start in the morning and cocktails in the evening. Couvant is set to open in Summer 2018 and will serve breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert as well as late-night cocktails and wine.

• Couvant – Opening this summer, the hotel's signature restaurant, Couvant, is housed within the building's original bitters factory that manufactured the famed Peychaud Cocktail Bitters, among others. The restaurant will combine classic New Orleans style and French flair with an industrial space. Upon entering, guests will be met with a charming black-and-white tiled floor in the front lounge with bar-style seating along historic windows looking out onto Magazine Street. The classic brasserie will unfold into a more modern space, with concrete flooring throughout the main dining area. A sweeping 300-square-foot bar made of oak and repurposed newel posts rounds the corner and will connect the two spaces.
      
  The dining room will feature a combination of seating arrangements -- from saddle brown leather channel-tufted banquettes to French-style bistro seating, with butcher block table tops peppered throughout. A table setting beneath an original stair will create an intimate moment in the open restaurant plan. A small, quartz topped oyster bar decorated in black-and-white tile will stand as another nod to the brasserie's French inspiration. The historic bitters factory will reveal itself in exposed brick walls behind the bar and in the restaurant's private areas, including a private dining room that opens to outdoor seating.
• The Press Room – Now open, the hotel's intimate living room-inspired lounge features nods to the building's ties to The Daily Picayune newspaper with sourced antiques and books, typewriters, and other accessories filling the numerous shelves and paneled walls within the space. Leather and multi-hued velvet seating are positioned around a marble fireplace, under a large custom brass light fixture, complemented by the deep cranberry color from the bar front.

Meeting & Events
This summer, The Eliza Jane will offer 1,729 square feet of meeting space, plus an open-air courtyard with full catering from Couvant.

The Eliza Jane is located at 315 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70130. For more information, please visit https://theelizajane.hyatt.com/ or call (504) 882-1234.

The term "Hyatt" is used in this release for convenience to refer to Hyatt Hotels Corporation and/or one or more of its affiliates.

About Rockbridge
Rockbridge has been investing in and building brands for nearly 20 years. The business has made 223 hotel investments in 38 states worth more than $5 billion in capitalization. Rockbridge has been a prolific investor in the hospitality space and recently delivered several new, independent hotels similar to Eliza Jane. These properties include Cliff House (Cape Neddick, ME), The Adolphus (Dallas, TX), Noelle (Nashville, TN) and soon to open, The Alida (Savannah, GA), and Charter Hotel (Seattle, WA) to name a few. Rockbridge's core strength comes from its collaborative team, innovative thinking, relentless curiosity, and focus on its culture. These attributes are among a strong set that have positioned Rockbridge as a leading investor and partner in the hospitality business. Learn more about Rockbridge at www.rockbridgecapital.com.

About HRI Properties
HRI Properties, LLC ("HRIP") is an internally managed, fully integrated owner, operator and developer of premium branded hotels and upscale apartments in top urban U.S. markets. Since 1982, HRIP and its predecessor have completed more than 80 projects involving more than $2.5 billion of total invested capital, which include over 5,000 apartment units, over 5,000 hotel rooms, and more than 1.4 million square feet of office and retail space. HRIP is a full-service real estate development company, with in-house architectural design and construction management capabilities and is a national leader in the adaptive reuse of historic structures. As the urbanization trend in the U.S. continues, we are committed to Elevating the Urban Experience by developing, acquiring and managing high quality real estate located within "walkable" urban neighborhoods where people want to live, work and play. For more information, please visit our website at www.hriproperties.com.

About Makeready
Designed from the ground up to create truly independent hotel, restaurant, and retail brands with individual points of view, Makeready is a different kind of hotel operator - one that provides an opportunity for travelers to connect to the world around them, city by city and person by person. Makeready is passionate about developing independent experiences that are an essential part of each community, cultivating deep, emotional connections across guests, teams, and local brands to create sustainable value for investors. Find us online at www.makereadyexperience.com or Instagram at www.instagram.com/makereadyexp or Twitter at www.twitter.com/makereadyexp. 

About The Unbound Collection by Hyatt
The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand is a portfolio of new and existing upper-upscale and luxury hotel properties, ranging from historic urban gems to contemporary trend-setters, boutique properties to resorts, and private home accommodations. Whether it is a fascinating past, an exclusive location, famous architecture and design, or an award-winning dining experience, the properties in the collection provide guests with "social currency" and allow them the freedom to be unique. Current hotel properties include The Driskill in Austin, Texas, The Royal Palms Resort & Spa in Phoenix, The Confidante in Miami Beach, Fla., The Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia, Holston House in Nashville, Tenn., The Eliza Jane in New Orleans, Spirit Ridge in Osoyoos, British Columbia, Hotel du Louvre in Paris (under renovation) and Carmelo Resort & Spa in Uruguay. For more information, please visit unboundcollection.hyatt.com. Follow @UnboundxHyatt on Facebook and Instagram.

About Stonehill Taylor
Stonehill Taylor is a hospitality-focused architecture and interior design firm based in New York City. For each project, the firm seeks out the essence of the location and the client's vision for a unique and inspired approach. The firm's high-profile portfolio ranges from interior design and renovation, to new building construction, adaptive reuse and historic preservation projects, including: Ace Hotel New York, The St. Regis New York, The Camby Hotel, The Asbury Hotel, InterContinental Barclay, The Bryant, The Whitby, and Paramount Hotel's Diamond Horseshoe. Stonehill Taylor is at the forefront of innovative and award-winning sustainable design, developing projects like The Crosby Street Hotel, The NoMad Hotel, and Portland's Press Hotel that are conscious of their impact on local communities and the world. For more information, visit: www.stonehilltaylor.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the issuer of this release, are inherently uncertain. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made only as of the date of this press release. Neither the issuer of this release nor any other entity associated with it or its subject matter undertakes any obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law. If one or more forward-looking statements is updated, no inference should be drawn that any additional updates will be made with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE The Eliza Jane

Related Links

https://theelizajane.hyatt.com