NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)-
The Historic Cotton Exchange Hotel in the Central Business District is getting a make-over.
It’ll be the first of it’s kind in the United States.
News with a Twist’s Kenny Lopez gets an inside look at the new AC Hotel by Marriott, which is hoping to get the attention of a younger generation: The Millennials.
Spain and Italy already have AC Hotels, but the new AC Hotel in New Orleans is a first for our country. The AC stands for Antonio Catalan, President of AC Hotels.
“It’s great that New Orleans is getting the first one. We are very excited. You really couldn’t pick a better city for a European inspired hotel,” Melisa Kennedy, General Manager of AC Hotel, said.
The hotel’s still currently under construction in the CBD’s old Cotton Exchange Building at 221 Carondelet St. The AC Hotel is 8 stories and will have 220 rooms. The hotel will also include a kitchen serving up a European style breakfast and a unique bar with signature beverages and tapas.
“We’re able to preserve the history of the building, while having all the latest in technology. We understand that Millennials want a lot of outlets for all their gadgets, so we have those. We’ll have smart TV’s and high-speed internet throughout the entire hotel,” Kennedy said.
This AC Hotel in NOLA will remain true to it’s European roots.
“Our bathrooms are European as well. The marble comes from Italy. The toilets are square and come from Germany.”
Even the bathroom soap is hip.
“Lots of people love the soap. It’s in the shape of a golf ball. Now we are wondering if our guests will want to start putting the soap around the room or hallways,” she jokingly said.
The new AC Hotel is slated to open in mid to late October.
In the next three years, Marriott hopes to open 30 new AC Hotels in the United States and Latin America.