Called Maison de la Luz, the 67-bedroom boutique hotel is located in the city's Warehouse District, south of the famous French Quarter.It occupies a six-storey stone building that was completed in 1907 as the former City Hall Annex, and has been used for various civic facilities since.The project was designed by Los Angeles design firm Studio Shamshiri and the Ace Hotel's in-house creative team.

The playful interiors draw on the history of the building as well as reference a mix of places, including French, Spanish and African origins. These are intended as a nod to the multi-cultural history of New Orleans, which is often described as a melting pot of cultures.

Guests enter Maison de la Luz into a grand lobby, featuring two sets of decorative stairs that lead up the building. A custom-made chandelier hangs down the centre of the space with circular lights etched on the inside for a delicate glow.A set of double doors lead into the reception area and an adjoining Egyptian-style guest lounge.Seating is arranged around a fireplace designed by a UCLA graduate student, while artwork draws on Egyptian references.

Glazed doors lead from here into a dining area, decorated with white scalloped tables and blue banquets. Large bees and plants adorn the wallpaper that lines the room, as a tent-like trim runs along the top.While these areas on the ground floor of the hotel draw on a variety of influences, the suites are based on French hotels as a nod to the luxury of the property, according to Shamshiri.

The team chose a custom pale mauve paint to wash over the walls, and bright white bed linen to keep the rooms bright and airy. Bold blue bed frames with undulating tops punctuate the spaces.Other nuances are more subtle, including brassy hand-shaped hooks and a decorative crest that is laid atop each bed. 

Carpets and rugs bare a pattern created by Christopher Farr, to reference the Egyptian features in the lobby. Bathrooms continue the luxurious French aesthetic with free-standing tubs, bright marble vanities and pale pink paint. Glass shower doors are adorned with a sculptural snake handles.