Grand, elegant and modern - the Columns Hotel offers something for everyone. The Columns Hotel offers a unique New Orleans blend of modern amenities and antique decor.

Built in 1883 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Columns Hotel is located in the beautiful upper Garden District in New Orleans, Louisiana. Conveniently overlooking the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, the Columns Hotel is minutes away from the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, the historic French Quarter, and many shopping districts.

A Little History

The Columns Hotel, designed by one of New Orleans&##39; great architects, Thomas Sully, is the only remaining example of a large group of Italianate houses that he designed in the late 1880&##39;s.

Surviving interior features are considered among the grandest known in any late-nineteenth century Louisiana residence. One of the most dramatic features is a mahogany stairwell which rises to meet an extraordinary square domed stained glass skylight in a stylized sunburst motif.

The Victorian Lounge was once the main dining room and features a remarkable mantle piece and overmantel, and the original built-in breakfront. This piece is of particular historical interest, because it is the only surviving piece of its kind in any residence designed by Thomas Sully.


The Front Porch



The house was commissioned by Simon Hernsheim, owner of Hernsheim Brothers & Co., the largest manufacturer of cigars in the United States at the turn of the 20th century. Following Mr. Hernsheim&##39;s death in 1898, the house had several owners and was transformed initially into an exclusive boarding house, then a hotel.

In 1980, the current owners, Claire and Jacques Creppel, purchased the property. Their mission is to restore The Columns Hotel to its original grandeur, and offer a special lodging experience in the heart of New Orleans&##39; beautiful Garden District, known for its stately homes and beautiful gardens.


Jacques and Claire Creppel

Stairwell Mural

&##39;The Columns Hotel, one of the most stately remaining examples of turn-of-the-century Louisiana architecture, has an ambience of age-old elegance, yet remains one of the most comfortable and affordable hotels in New Orleans. Located on one of the city&##39;s most grand and historic streets, The Columns offers a return to the romance and refinement of another era.&##39; Celebrating the City, New Orleans City Business
Woodland Plantation
Discover true southern hospitality at an original Louisiana country inn. Built in 1834, Woodland Plantation was constructed in the time when sugar flourished as ¡°the new gold.¡± In 1997 the Creppel family rescued the property, completely restoring it so that it now stands as the only remaining plantation home in the west bank Mississippi River delta. Click here to visit Woodland Plantation and plan your visit for a soothing southern retreat.
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