voco, St. James Hotel, an IHG Hotel

Delivers renovated guestrooms and suites with an elegant West Indies decor. Enjoy great views of New Orleans from your balcony or picturesque courtyard from your patio. Includes microwave, mini-refrigerator and complimentary WiFi.

History

The historic and elegant Saint James hotel was originally built by a New Orleans architect, Charles Zimpel, for Thomas Banks. As built in 1833, the building was intended to be a meeting place for local merchants and tradesmen to conduct business and support the neighborhoods above Canal Street. In 1843 the Arcade was purchased by Joseph Danforth Weaver. The next resident of the Banks Arcade was J. Aron & Company, Inc. J. Aron and Company was a coffee import firm that provided hundreds of small coffee roasters around the country. In 1859, the Banks Arcade was renovated and the original St. James Hotel was built. From 1861 to 1865, during the Civil War, the hotel became a Union hospital. Today the St. James Hotel is located only blocks from its original location - which is now the Board of Trade Plaza.