New Orleans superstar Big Freedia has announced plans to open Hotel Freedia, a new entertainment venue coming to the city’s Decatur and Frenchmen streets.
“This dream of mine has been in the works for a long time, I’ll be one of the first Black hotel owners in New Orleans,” wrote Big Freedia on Twitter.
The venue will include a restaurant featuring Freedia’s recipes, a music club, pool, and a micro boutique hotel with just five guest rooms. It aims to capture the quintessential New Orleans experience, offering visitors a taste of bounce music and culture.
“Not being able to go out and work during the pandemic, cooking brought so much light and creativity it just really got me interested in doing a restaurant,” Freedia told Nola.com regarding her vision. “And I always had a dream of opening a hotel, so it just kind of came together that way.”
A Multi-Faceted Venue
Although officially a hotel, Reid Martin, Freedia’s business partner, clarified that entertainment will be the main focus. “It’s primarily a music venue and a pool party spot. Think of a country club with a music venue,” he described.
The team plans to spotlight local talent, while also hosting national acts.
“Obviously, Frenchmen Street is all about local music so we want to have a lot of local music going on, but we’re also interested in having some national music coming in,” Martin added.
Historic Venture
With Hotel Freedia, the bounce queen will make history as one of the first Black hotel owners in New Orleans. It serves as the realization of a long-held dream years in the making.
Freedia has endured incredible highs and lows, from smash collabs to pandemic shutdowns, but continues to demonstrate resilience and vision. “I learned just how resilient I am and that nothing can stop me,” she asserted in an interview last year.
Construction on Hotel Freedia is scheduled to start, with the goal of launching for Mardi Gras 2024. As Freedia tweeted, “Will keep y’all posted on the official opening date, can’t wait to see y’all at Hotel Freedia!”
