The sturdily constructed building of the Renaissance Pere Marquette, built with high ceilings – in the era before air conditioners – has become a stylish, historic hotel, yet with a touch of modernity. White marble fills the lobby, and the rooms are decorated in pastel shades. Each floor of the Pere Marquette is named after a jazz legend, and a plaque outside the elevators tells the musician’s story. Rooms above the twelfth floor on the French Quarter side have truly breathtaking views of the buildings below. Located in the Central Business District, the Renaissance Pere Marquette is a five-minute walk from the French Quarter, so it draws in both tourists looking to be away from the noise and business people visiting the city. MiLa, a modern Southern restaurant, and the Jazz Lounge, home of the city’s best classical cocktails, are both just off the lobby, so guests might happily spend an entire evening inside the hotel.