Why book?
The “hotel within a hotel” concept has come to New Orleans, opening as part of a $435 million renovation of Caesars New Orleans Hotel & Casino, which replaced Harrah’s in 2024. The Nobu spans two floors in the new Caesars casino tower. These 54 rooms and suites have been designed with Nobu’s signature Japanese aesthetics, meaning clean lines and earthy, neutral tones. A brand new Nobu restaurant has also opened in the main casino building.
Set the scene
Caesars has completely revamped the old Harrah’s casino—located downtown at the end of Canal and Poydras Streets—building a new tower in the process. Although you don’t have to enter the casino floor to get to the hotel, its location in the main casino building means that you can expect to see a fair amount of Versace and Chanel-bedecked high rollers checking in their LV luggage. It’s also incredibly well placed for general sightseeing, with the riverfront and historic French Quarter just a few minutes’ walk away. This means that there’s a mix, attracting non-gambling, discerning hotel guests who want a feeling of exclusivity that only a few properties in the city really offer.
The backstory
The Caesars takeover means nearly 800 brand new and completely refurbished bedrooms between two hotel towers. This includes the new Caesars Tower that houses the Nobu Hotel, and the original tower—formerly Harrah’s Hotel—on Poydras Street. The model for the Nobu hotel follows similar Caesars/Nobu collaborations, most famously at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The rooms
In a practical sense, the rooms and suites aren’t vastly different from the new rooms in the Caesars Casino Tower. The difference is largely an aesthetic one, of Asian flourishes complementing the Nobu brand. I stayed in a Premium room with a Panoramic view, a corner room high up on the 13th floor boasting handsome views of the Mississippi River. As an added bonus, this room also overlooks a dozen or so blocks straight down Canal Street—these rooms will undoubtedly be in high demand come Carnival season, offering a near-birds eye view of the parade route. Soft gold and warm wooden tones set the tone, a cherry blossom frieze framing the bed, an homage to Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s roots. Marble and wood combine in the bathroom, maintaining the Japanese influences, and the suites enjoy luxurious teak bathtubs.
Food and drink
The Casino Tower has its own small cocktail bar and a coffee shop that doubles as a general store. It pays to wander down to the casino floor, though, where you’ll find one of the newest additions to the global Nobu restaurant chain. It’s dark and atmospheric, with subtly chic lighting and large, basket-like structures that create novel, semi-private spaces. Out-of-towners may crave a more local flavor, and Emiril’s Brasserie serves Creole-tinged Crawfish Pasta and Lobster Pot Pie. A huge, dazzlingly striking chandelier of fibre optic tubes hangs above Octavia Bar (named for Julius Caesar’s niece), a glamorous spot to pop a cork and (hopefully) celebrate that big win on the roulette table.
The service
Lobby staff (shared with the Caesars Hotel) are on hand to assist with luggage. The casually-friendly front desk staff can help with gaming queries or sightseeing/dining recommendations, and can make reservations for you at the Nobu restaurant, or any of the casino’s other dining rooms. I had a couple of problems (of my own making) with the parking garage that the staff handled quickly and very professionally.
Accessibility
The ADA-accessible hotel welcomes service animals and provides auxiliary aids and services to those with disabilities.
Eco effort
The property is subject to Caesars’ CodeGreen environmental programs.
Anything left to mention?
The hotel shares an entrance with Caesars Hotel in the new tower, accessed by an escalator that doesn’t require you to enter the casino floor proper. It’s just inside the main entrance (festooned with a suitably imperial marble statue of Caesar), although if you enter the casino building through another door, you can simply cut across the gaming floor instead of walking all the way round the exterior, but have your ID to hand. The Nobu Hotel has a discrete check-in area with its own amenities—I had a welcome water bottle and hot towels on arrival.
8 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70130
https://www.caesars.com/content/dam/corporate/corporate-social-responsibility/caesars-entertainment-environmental-sustainability-policy-.pdf
(504) 533-6000