The Drifter Hotel
EST. PRIOR TO 2017
PREMIUM VENUE
3522 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119, USA

The Drifter Hotel
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The Drifter boutique hotel updates midcentury individualism while celebrating local art, hip cuisine and specialty coffee.
The Drifter is a 1950s motel that has a very unassuming entrance from the busy city streets. Upon entering the discreet side entrance guests are transported into a colorful lobby that contains a lounge, cafe, and bar. There is a high emphasis on design. Through the lobby building, the guests will arrive in the tropical courtyard and pool area. Adjacent to the pool area is a large private fenced in area that can accommodate 350 guests. Complimenting the pool area and private event space is the 20 room midcentury hotel building.
The Lowdown
Type
Art GalleryBar / Club / LoungeBoutique HotelCafe / Coffee HouseHistoric Building
Views
CourtyardGardenLandscaped Grounds
Style
Art Deco
Bohemian
Retro
Whimsical
Zen
Best type of Celebrations
Adventure Travel
Baby Shower
Bachelor / Bachelorette Party
Birthday Party
Bridal Shower
Charity Event
Corporate Event
Product Launch
Group Getaway
Holiday Party
Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Reception
Social Event
Workshops: Creative, Photo, Etc.
Elopement
Vow Renewal
Anniversary
Engagement Party

Venue Setting

The Drifter boutique hotel updates midcentury individualism while celebrating local art, hip cuisine and specialty coffee. The Drifter occupies a historic 1950's motel that has been transformed into a sanctuary space set amongst tropical landscaping.

Capacity

Seated
250
Buffet
350
Standing
500
Fees
(Prices listed here are estimates only & are subject to change)
Price range

Does this include catering fees?

Yes

Additional charges

City and State Sales Tax of 13%
Service Charge of 20%

Insurance

Additional Insurance Is Not Required To Host An Event Here

Connect
Call Venue
Event Logistics and Amenities
(Essential event logistics and amenities to ensure a seamless and memorable experience for you gathering)
Celebrations hosted here since
2017
Curfew
2 AM
Venue spaces
Indoor & Outdoor Venue Spaces Available
Catering
Client Can Select The Caterer Of Their Choice
Alcohol
Provided By Venue For Fee – You Must Use The Venue For All Alcohol Services
Corkage/Bottle Fee – You Can Bring Your Own Alcohol For A Fee
Licensed Server Is Required
Music
Indoors & Outdoors
Smoking
Designated Smoking Areas Only
Accommodations
The 20 rooms and suites span approximately 226 square feet and offer pool views, a bathroom with a shower, and a working desk. While the King Room features a king-size bed and a day bed, the Double Queen Room and the Bunk Room offer two and four queen-size beds, respectively. The Garden King Room and the Garden Double Queen Room also both play host to a private terrace, with the former boasting a king-size bed and a day bed and the latter featuring two queen-size beds.
Eco/Green Events
Yes
Amenities
  • Bridal Suite/Changing Rooms Onsite
  • Street Parking
  • Wifi
  • Ample Parking Onsite
  • Onsite Restrooms
  • Other amenities: Swimming Pool
Venue Features
The scene:
Thanks to its retro “motel” sign out front, this unassuming low-rise seems at first glance like a forgotten 1950s anachronism. But look past the period-piece signage and The Drifter reveals itself as an exercise in modernized nostalgia, both in terms of design and concept. With a name inspired by the iconoclastic Beat Generation of postwar America, the property is a playful respite from New Orleans’ expected offerings, shining a light on a newly hip side of the city by acting as a melting pot for the local and global “drifters” who end up there. In addition to a café serving up specialty coffee from La Colombe and various baked goodies, the culinary program sees a rotation of chic food trucks and on-property pop-ups that offer a host of ever-changing tastes, from Mexico City to Haiti, Colombia, and beyond. Add in the artwork of local creatives and a busy events calendar—best enjoyed with freshly frozen cocktails, Japanese beers and sakes, or the local wines on offer—and it’s clear why this Tulane Avenue property is making waves on the New Orleans scene.

The Drifter is a 1950s motel that has a very unassuming entrance from the busy city streets. Upon entering the discreet side entrance guests are transported into a colorful lobby that contains a lounge, cafe, and bar. There is a high emphasis on design. Through the lobby building, the guests will arrive in the tropical courtyard and pool area. Adjacent to the pool area is a large private fenced in area that can accommodate 350 guests. Complimenting the pool area and private event space is the 20 room midcentury hotel building.
Design:
The Drifter is housed in a reworked modernist structure that references the Googie style—a strand of futurist architecture that became prominent in the U.S. in the 1950s and borrowed influence from Space Race imagery and car culture through such elements as its asymmetric awning and the neon “motel” sign. Landscape architects Vida Design Studio also took the concrete parking lot—a defining feature of a motel—and converted it into a tropical courtyard that plays host to winding paths that take guests to out-of-the-way niches. Overall, the hotel’s structural form plays a pivotal role in the guiding Beat-era concept. Midcentury modernism dominates inside, with custom-made furnishings, vintage pieces, retro light fixtures, and Oaxacan tiles in the bedrooms, while other highlights include a cantilevered disco ball and a Barragan-inspired wall. Artworks range from local creations to a statement Ralph Lauren wall display.
Awards & Notables
Awards, recognitions, or noteworthy achievements associated with the venue.
OutletArticle
Domus Nova (UK)- Motel Me When You Get There
IDEAT (France)- Where to Stay, What to Do during Prospect New Orleans
Lonely Planet (UK)- Catch the drift
Country Roads- Mansion, Hotel, Hostel, Motel: Four worthy spots for a tricentennial trek
Hunker - Checking In: The Drifter is a Design-Inspired Motor Lodge in New Orleans
Elle Décor (Italy)- We Found the Right Address for a Trip from Jack Kerouac
Country Roads- Mansion, Hotel, Hostel, Motel: Four worthy spots for a tricentennial trek
Fodor's Travel - The Best Hotel Pools in New Orleans
Fodor's Travel - These Lovely Hotels Are Thankfully Far Very Away From Bourbon Street
Fodor's Travel - The 7 Best Boutique Hotels in New Orleans
GQ- Take a Detour to the Most Luxurious Motels in America
Jetsetter- 2018 Best of the Best Hotel Awards
Yahoo! Lifestyle (Singapore) - Hot hotels: 12 trends for 2018
The Daily Telegraph (UK) - Hot hotels: 12 trends for 2018
Architectural Digest - The Top 35 Places to Travel in 2018
Conde Nast Traveller (UK) - The Hotel Clubs Join the Nomadic Network
DEAR (Germany)
Condé Nast Traveller (Middle East) - Trending: Renovated Low Rise Hotels
Hospitality Net - Motel in New Orleans given a contemporary overhaul
Jetsetter - 9 Reinvented Motels We Love
Fathom - The 20 Hottest Hotel Openings of Late 2017
Atlanta Journal-Constitution - Old trucker hangouts now cool places to stay
TravelDailyNews (Greece) - Design Hotels freshest new members
Thrillist - Best Bars in New Orleans to Ring in the New Year
The Daily Telegraph (UK) - The Drifter, Hotel Review
Hospitality Design
Design*Sponge - New Orleans’ The Drifter Hotel
Sight Unseen - Saturday Selects: Week of November 27, 2017
ALT Interiør (Denmark)The Drifter Feature
30° Degrees (Switzerland)Hotel Drifter, Louisana Flashback
Hospitality DesignOnline exclusive: The Drifter

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The Drifter Hotel
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