The Columns
“You’ve got to go to the Columns!” is something we heard from multiple people when we said we were honeymooning in New Orleans. A huge old mansion with a giant porch overlooking the streetcar line, this bar was everything I wanted in a New Orleans trip.
The streetcar passes in front of the Columns via
Built in 1883 by New Orleans architect Thomas Sully, the former residence is now a 20-room boutique hotel and bustling bar with a frescoed ceiling and wonderful cocktail menu.
The building is grand but old, and charmingly grimy in the corners. Before going to the toilet, I leaned over to my husband and said, “I know exactly what the bathroom is going to look like.” And I was right-- it looked like the bathroom of a 150-year-old pub that’s only seen occasional, incremental upgrades. In a good way!
Though everyone told us to go for the view from the porch, we settled inside on a round, velvet sofa, drinking and staring up at the ceiling. It was dark, old-fashioned, and absolutely magical.
Sources
The Columns Hotel in New Orleans, USA, Lonely Planet
Columns Hotel Bar, The Times Picayune
About, The Columns Hotel
