The circa-1860s Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church was shuttered in 2001 and sat empty for more than a decade. Today, the historic site is used under a different name: Hotel Peter & Paul and has landed on nearly every “Best of” list across the country for its rooms and the see-and-be-seen Elysian Bar.
A joint project between New Orleans resident Nathalie Jordi and Brooklyn-based interior design firm ASH NYC, Hotel Peter & Paul’s grounds have four buildings: The School House, The Rectory, The Convent and The Church.
The Church is the heart of the site enclosed by towering stained-glass windows and rounded arches. The colorful, stained glass allows light to filter into the open room and onto walls with warm hues of rose, yellow and blue enhancing the aged beauty of the building. It is a romantic, quiet area that feels sacred even years after its initial closure.
The spaces accommodate 200 people for a seated reception and 300 for a cocktail-style reception. Following the ceremony, guests can enjoy the rest of the site in the courtyard or The Elysian Bar.
There is an outdoor space, the piazza, where guests can enjoy cocktails in between the ceremony and the reception. The hotel’s preferred caterer is Bacchanal Catering, the same team behind The Elysian Bar. Outside food caterers are permitted for an additional fee.
Couples can reserve room blocks for bridal parties or guests and can block off specific areas of the various buildings, allowing guests to, for example, book all seven rooms in The Convent or all five rooms in The Rectory.
In total, there are 71 guest rooms with color schemes inspired by iconic 14th-18th century religious paintings and tapestries. Each room was carefully designed and furnished by Jordi and ASH NYC to create a welcoming, old-world feel where no two rooms are alike.
The Hotel Peter & Paul awaits for couples desirous of saying “I do” in a romantic, historical setting. (Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this piece ran on the magazine’s daily blog, “Let Them Eat Cake.”)
Hotel Peter & Paul, 2317 Burgundy St., 504-356-5200, hotelpeterandpaul.com
