Puttin' On The Ritz

In December, the New Orleans Ritz-Carlton will reopen its doors to the public.

NEW ORLEANS The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans will reopen in December as a premier luxury hotel.

We are very pleased The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans will be ready to welcome guests once again by year's end," said Simon Cooper, president and CEO of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. LLC. "The road back from Hurricane Katrina has been challenging but the hotel will return better than ever to reclaim its reputation as the finest in the city.

The the hotel, in a national historic landmark building more than 100 years old, will be fully restored with enhancements. Since opening Oct. 6, 2000, The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans has ranked annually as one of the 500 Best Hotels in the World by Travel + Leisure and remained on Conde Nast Traveler Hot List, Gold List and Top North American Hotels lists.

This hotel, situated on the edge of the French Quarter, will have more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space on the first floor in what had been the Gallery of Shops. The hotel has more than 34,000 square feet of meeting space for everything from intimate gatherings to plated dinners for 500.

The hotel sustained extensive basement flooding post-Katrina but new custom-built machinery including air conditioning, laundry and cafeteria equipment will be installed.

Throughout 452 rooms at The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans and its hotel-within-a-hotel, The 75-room Maison Orleans, each room will feature in-room gourmet coffee and tea, wireless internet access, 400-thread count linens made of 100 percent Egyptian cotton, enhanced showerheads by Kohler, flat-panel high definition television and luxurious branded amenities from Bulgaria's White Tea line.

The Iberville Suites are expected to reopen in February 2007.

Now if only I had any FEMA money left I'd try to make a reservation.