Newest hostel in New Orleans

HI New Orleans Hostel Lobby 

New Orleans, LA – HI New Orleans Hostel opened its doors on July 1, 2019, joining the Hostelling International USA (HI USA) brand, a national nonprofit with more than 50 hostels nationwide. Located at 1028 Canal Street at Rampart, HI New Orleans Hostel provides authentic, local experiences to a global community of travelers, as well as offers programming to the local community to empower them to become global citizens.

Private room

Located in the heart of New Orleans’s Central Business District, HI New Orleans Hostel is within walking distance to the French Quarter, museums, public transportation, performance venues, and diverse shops and restaurants. This state-of-the-art hostel features:

• 122 dorm beds
• 24 private rooms
• Bike storage
• Free wifi, breakfast, and activities

Tacreole Cafe, opening soon

Additionally, the hostel features an onsite café, TaCreole, serving Louisiana-inspired tacos, as well as wine, beer and sake, which will be open to guests and locals by the end of summer.

Located in the former Pickwick Social Club, HI New Orleans Hostel is an adaptive reuse building and part of the historic Canal Street redevelopment, which includes the renovation of 28 building facades. Developed with sustainability in mind, HI New Orleans Hostel repurposed two historic buildings – whose upper floors had been vacant for several decades – into a state-of-the-art accommodation. The lobby features a dramatic cistern, designed to address citywide water runoff challenges. Additionally, all showers are equipped with the first ever Hydrao SmartShowers, which use colored lights to provide visual cues of shower duration. This is part of a national initiative, and lights are programmed to reduce average shower length.

Other notable sustainability features include food waste composting; 100% renewable electricity through the purchase of certified Renewable Energy Credits; and Green Globe certification to be earned within its first year of operation.

The HI New Orleans Hostel – like all HI USA hostels – is designed to foster interaction and build friendships among travelers from diverse backgrounds. Large common rooms, a self-serve kitchen, and regularly scheduled free or low-cost tours and activities help travelers build personal connections while immersing in the local culture.

As a community resource, the hostel enables locals to see the world and deepen their understanding of other cultures. HI New Orleans Hostel will offer extensive programming, which will roll out over the year. Current highlights include:

• Explore the World Travel Scholarships – this annual program awards $2,000 travel scholarships to underserved New Orleanians interested in an educational or service-based trip abroad but lack the financial resources.

• Cooking as a Second Language – held in partnership with the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans’s Immigrant and Refugee Services program, as well as with the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, this program introduces participants to another culture through that culture’s food. The food is prepared collectively and is followed by a discussion.

“HI USA is excited to share the vibrant culture, heritage, and traditions of New Orleans with a diverse community of travelers from across the globe. With a rich history, New Orleans is an ideal location to further our nonprofit purpose to build understanding through experiential travel,” says HI USA CEO Russ Hedge. “Likewise, we hope to inspire the local community to see the world.”

For more information, visit www.hiusa.org/NewOrleans, or contact Netanya Trimboli, HI USA Director of Communications & PR, at Netanya.Trimboli@hiusa.org or (240) 650-2104.