The 1,622-room Hilton New Orleans Riverside, located adjacent to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, announces today the completion of a $6 million renovation to the Grand Ballroom, Grand Salon, and first- and second-level meeting spaces.

Featuring a relaxed French-inspired design, the renovation brings a full transformation in key hotel areas including the first-floor Grand Ballroom. The 26,894-square-foot area has been updated with a sophisticated color palette of blues, greys and golds in geometric patterns to create a serene space amidst New Orleans vibrancy. Twelve elegant new chandeliers along with warm neutral accents have been introduced throughout the space to provide depth and richness. The streamlined aesthetic continues into the Grand Salon, located across from the Grand Ballroom, which has been refreshed with new coffered ceilings and contemporary circular lighting fixtures that modernize the space.

The second level Exhibition Center has also been fully renovated utilizing a soothing blue color palette. The refurbished space has been renamed “Churchill,” paying tribute to the Winston Churchill Statue donated to the city in 1977 and located in front of the hotel entrance. Conceptualized to be utilized as one large room or seven separate spaces, Churchill offers a striking geometric striped carpet with vibrant hues of blue, gold and grey, and incorporates high recessed ceilings and oversized rectangular lighting fixtures. To echo the distinctive design, a new pre-function area includes details such as slate grey armchairs, modern bronze side tables, and abstract wall paintings.

“To answer an increase in demand, these design changes are intended to provide more flexible meeting space options for our guests,” said Paul Scott, general manager, Hilton New Orleans Riverside. “By adding dividing walls and upgrading the Hilton Exhibition Center into a multi-purpose function space, we are now providing groups with up to seven breakout options and a widened pre-function space that allows for easy registration and meeting breaks.”

With an increase in popularity of street food and food trucks in New Orleans, the hotel’s culinary team created an innovative way for guests to engage in the food preparation process with interactive cooking stations featuring 13 salsas that are made in-house. Public Belt, the hotel’s popular bar and lounge accommodating up to 85 people, offers live jazz music and craft cocktails inspired by the Storyville madams and introduced a hands-on mixology class for groups to craft the city’s signature Sazerac cocktail.

Hilton New Orleans Riverside recently opened Marketplace in the Riverside Complex serving Starbucks coffee, a variety of freshly baked goods and to-go menu items, and souvenirs from local artisans and famed New Orleans brands like Café du Monde.

With more than 130,000 square feet of available event space, Hilton New Orleans Riverside is popular with savvy international and domestic travelers and features an indoor connection to The Riverwalk Outlet Mall with more than 75 retailers and restaurants. The hotel boasts authentic dishes at Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, two outdoor pools and a 100,000-square-foot health and fitness center with tennis, basketball, and racquetball courts.