NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated, a national vacation ownership company, today announced the opening of its New Orleans Resort, the Company’s first urban property in its growing network of U.S. travel destinations. The historic property, originally built in 1893 as New Orleans’ first skyscraper, was acquired by Holiday Inn Club Vacations in 2019 as a luxury apartment building and converted into a 105-villa resort. To open, the Company hired 45 new team members, with a majority in a full-time position.
“Despite the many challenges caused by the pandemic, we remained hopeful and excited to open this incredible resort,” said Tom Nelson, Chief Executive Officer at Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated. “With a historic building, a beautifully reimagined interior that blends modern design with classic details and an iconic mural that fits right into the unique and lively New Orleans arts scene, our first urban property brings the best of the Big Easy to our growing network of resorts.”
Located in the heart of downtown New Orleans, the property is one block from the city’s famed Bourbon Street and a short walk from the French Quarter. Ideal for families and groups looking to explore the city, the resort offers full-size villas with spacious one- and two-bedroom layouts that include kitchens and living rooms. The first floor of the resort contains a Marketplace and the Maritime Bar & Lounge, a full-service bar that is expected to open later this year. On the building’s top floor, guests can enjoy a fitness center, outdoor dipping pool and rooftop terrace.
Spanning over 40 feet wide and totaling more than 350 square feet in size, the resort lobby boasts a large mural that pays homage to the history and culture of New Orleans. The mural was sketched and painted by award-winning artist Mila Sketch. Then, the Company partnered with Kevin Zevchik and his team at Zanim8tion – VIOSO America to add innovative projection mapping technology and soundscapes. Using eight synchronized projectors, the mural creates a three-minute show that plays at the top of every hour, daily from 1 p.m. through 11 p.m. local time. Locals and resort guests will be able to spot many nods to the Big Easy on the mural, including jazz music, arts and cuisine, architecture and nearby landscapes.
In addition to its commitment to the IHG Clean Promise, Holiday Inn Club Vacations is following Safe Travels, a program that delivers higher safety and cleanliness standards to resort properties. Safe Travels brings many protocols and safety measures – including a virtual check-in queue, required use of face coverings in public spaces and door seals to signal that guests are the first to enter the villa after it was cleaned and sanitized, among others – to the New Orleans Resort.
“We are pleased to welcome Holiday Inn Club Vacations to New Orleans, especially in 2021 as we begin to recover from the impacts of COVID-19,” said Mark Romig, APR, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of New Orleans & Company. “This grand opening gives us much-needed positive news and reminds the world that New Orleans will always be one of America’s top destinations for culture, history and family fun.”
In honor of the newly opened resort, Holiday Inn Club Vacations pledged $5,000 to Tres Doux Foundation, a local nonprofit organization and driving force behind Beignet Fest that aims to celebrate, embrace and enhance the lives of children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort is located at 203 Carondelet Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information on the resort, visit holidayinnclub.com/explore-resorts/new-orleans-resort.
About Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated
Encompassing 28 resorts, 7,900 villas in 14 U.S. states and more than 365,000 timeshare owners, Holiday Inn Club Vacations Incorporated is a resort, real estate and travel company with a mission to be the most loved brand in family travel by delivering easy-to-plan, memorable vacation experiences that strengthen families.
Based in Orlando, Fla., the Company has been a leader in the vacation ownership industry since 1982, when it was established by Holiday Inn® founder Kemmons Wilson with the opening of the Company’s flagship property, Holiday Inn Club Vacations® at Orange Lake Resort next to Orlando’s Walt Disney World® Resort.
Today, the Holiday Inn Club Vacations resort portfolio spans the Eastern and Central United States, with a growing presence in desirable Western U.S. destinations. Throughout its history, the Company has maintained the core family values true to its majority ownership by the Wilson family, while aggressively pursuing growth, transforming its member engagement model and building an industry-leading team passionate about the guest experience.
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