Most of the best views in New Orleans come with a hotel lobby attached. These four rooftops let anyone ride up, order a drink, and look out over the city.
Hot Tin, Pontchartrain Hotel
Hot Tin fills a former penthouse at the top of the Pontchartrain Hotel on St. Charles Avenue, and the room is designed to feel like a 1940s artist’s loft. Boho couches sit beside a wall of curios and knick-knacks, and glass accordion doors open onto a balcony facing downtown. A second, more secluded terrace looks straight down on St. Charles Avenue. The name nods to Tennessee Williams, who lived at the hotel while writing A Streetcar Named Desire.
The 270-degree view takes in the downtown skyline, the Superdome, and the bend of the Mississippi River. Champagne and craft cocktails anchor the menu. Hot Tin opens daily at 2 p.m. at 2031 St. Charles Avenue, seats guests first come, first served, and admits only guests 21 and older. Call (504) 323-1500.
High Five, The Barnett
The rooftop on the ninth floor of The Barnett used to be Alto, back when the building was the Ace Hotel. The hotel rebranded in 2024, and the refreshed rooftop now goes by High Five. It holds a pool, private cabanas, fire pits, and a bar with views over the Warehouse District and downtown.
Seasonal small plates and cocktails come from the bar, and the space runs pool parties and events through the year. The pool opens daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting. The bar serves Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Barnett sits at 600 Carondelet Street. Call (504) 900-1180.
Above the Grid, NOPSI Hotel
The NOPSI Hotel occupies the former headquarters of New Orleans Public Service Inc., the company that once ran the city’s streetcars and power, and its rooftop sits nine floors up at Baronne and Union Streets. Above the Grid pairs a pool with a bar and wide skyline views.
Mornings belong to hotel guests. After 11 a.m., the rooftop opens to the public for afternoons by the pool and livelier nights, and the dress code shifts from casual in the daytime to smart casual after dark. Weekends bring live music and programming. Guests can reserve VIP sofas and day beds, and the menu runs to cocktails and shareable poolside bites.
Rosie’s on the Roof, Higgins Hotel
The Higgins Hotel is the official hotel of the National WWII Museum, and its rooftop bar honors the women who built the ships, planes, and weapons on the home front during the war. Rosie’s sits on the top floor at 1000 Magazine Street, and its outdoor decks look across the museum campus to the Superdome and the west side of the city.
The cocktail list carries a wartime theme, and the bar serves casual food alongside it. Rosie’s makes an easy stop after a day at the museum across the street. Check with the hotel for current hours, or call (504) 528-1941.
