A rooftop pool changes a summer trip to New Orleans, and these four hotels put one within an elevator ride of your room.
Virgin Hotels New Orleans, Warehouse District
The Pool Club takes up the 13th floor of Virgin Hotels New Orleans, one of the higher rooftop pools downtown. The heated pool sits beside a bar and a terrace looking over the skyline, and the rooftop books DJs, themed brunches, and seasonal events. It runs on the smaller side and can crowd up in peak season, though off-peak guests report little trouble finding a lounger.
The hotel holds 238 rooms, which Virgin calls Chambers, split into two distinct spaces so one person can get ready while another relaxes. Commons Club on the lobby level handles dinner and live music. The hotel sits at 550 Baronne Street, about a ten-minute walk from Bourbon Street.
The Barnett, Warehouse District
The Barnett was Ace Hotel New Orleans until 2024, when it took the name of the furniture store that once filled its 1920s Art Deco building. The ninth-floor rooftop, now called High Five, holds a pool, private cabanas, fire pits, and a bar with views over downtown. The pool opens daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., weather permitting.
The hotel’s 234 rooms feature cork floors and window seats, and some suites include turntables and guitars. Good Measure, a small music hall off the elevator landing, books free shows each week. Rooms book through Hyatt at 600 Carondelet Street, and guests at Maison Métier across the street can use the pool too. Call (504) 900-1180.
NOPSI Hotel, Central Business District
The NOPSI Hotel fills the former headquarters of New Orleans Public Service Inc., the company that once ran the city’s streetcars and power. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and the hotel leans on oversized suites, with standard kings running 374 square feet.
Above the Grid sits nine floors up and pairs a pool with a bar and skyline views. Mornings are reserved for hotel guests, and the rooftop opens to the public after 11 a.m. Guests can reserve VIP sofas and day beds, and weekends bring live music. The hotel stands at Baronne and Union Streets, a short walk from the French Quarter.
The Roosevelt New Orleans, Central Business District
The Roosevelt has operated since 1893 and once served as home base for Governor Huey P. Long. Today it runs as a Waldorf Astoria with 504 rooms, a full spa, and the Sazerac Bar, one of the city’s most famous cocktail lounges. It sits one block from Bourbon Street.
The rooftop holds a heated pool and hot tub, a bubbling fountain, oversized umbrellas, and a seasonal pool bar called Rooftop at the Roosevelt. Curtained cabanas come with sofa seating, a mini fridge, and dedicated poolside service. When the pool is open, guests use it daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a room key. It closes for part of the cooler season and reopens in April, so check before booking a winter stay around it. Day passes through ResortPass and local spa memberships also grant access.
