Maison de la Luz

There was a time when it seemed like we were going to see an Ace Hotel in just about every city in America — and while that would be a welcome development, the way it’s played out has been even more interesting than that. The group’s portfolio is still expanding, but their in-house creative team, Atelier Ace, has been working on diversifying their approach — and the considerably more upscale Maison de la Luz, right across the street from the existing Ace New Orleans, is an example of the fruit of their labors.

The design, by Atelier Ace and the Los Angeles–based designer Pamela Shamshiri, is certainly as eclectic as the brand’s other offerings. But where the rest opt for a low-frills surplus-and-vintage aesthetic, Maison de la Luz is unapologetically luxe, right down to the jewel-like colored marble tiles in the bathrooms. In these hands, though, luxe certainly doesn’t mean stuffy — the rooms feel like the home of an eccentric, mysteriously wealthy friend, one who’s careful to make sure you never feel underdressed.

With 67 rooms and suites it’s on the large side for a “guest house,” but it feels intimate all the same, thanks to the generous spaces, the residential vibe in the rooms, and the service, which combines the best of Ace’s youthfulness and New Orleans’s warmth. It helps, too, that the hotel’s Living Room is for guests only, lending the Maison an air of members-club privacy. There’s plenty of nightlife close at hand, though — the Maison has its own private entrance to Bar Marilou, the Parisian cocktail bar and small-plates restaurant next door, and guests have priority access to reservations at neighboring restaurants Seaworthy and Josephine Estelle as well.