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Just aheads up for you all. I have been reading up on the $145 million renovation of the former Fairmont, now Roosevelt. The place looks outstanding.
I just booked a room for the end of July for $145, which seems like a good deal. I bet they will be getting $275 and up for the same room this fall.

Can't wait to try Besh's new Italian place.

I was gazing out into the distance at the Roosevelt from Tulane.... wondered what the deal was. Fairmont used to be a pretty place...it's been many moons since I've been there, though.

I had a full blown tour of the Roosevelt yesterday. As far as hotels go, it will open as the nicest, by a mile, hotel in the South and one of the best in the country. It's a pretty amazing restoration job. It makes the Windsor Court and the Ritz look like Holiday Inns.

the spa is stellar!

I can't wait to see it.
My grandfather, "Buster" Bellande, was General Manager during the 50's and 60's until Fairmont bought it.
They lived on the 8th floor in a suite of 2 rooms with a small kitchen.
We spent the night of Hurricane Betsy there..
I spent a lot of time in that place as a kid and had many special occasion dinners in the Blue Room.

Room service for breakfast was a memorable treat - Waffles dusted with powdered sugar, crispy bacon and that little porcelain pitcher of hot maple syrup.

I even remember watching WWL radio broadcasting through a glass wall on the 'mezzanine".
...and whatever happened to mezzanines anyway?

Nice story in this weeks Gambit.
I had heard about the 12th Floor Club....seems Huey Long had a room on the 12th floor.
Wish I had some of the autographed photos from the Blue Room...but I was just a kid and didn't save such stuff...