New Orleanians get desperate every year in search of a place to cool off. Our brains melt from the humidity, pushing us to the brink of consideration of jumping into the bayou. (Is getting eaten by a gator or developing a third, mutant arm worth the risk? Maybe? It’s hot as hell.) Luckily, we’ve compiled some of our favorite places to swim, sip, see and be seen — all of which seem much safer and more fun than diving into your neighborhood pothole after a long rain when the pumps aren’t working.
The Ace is a great place to awkwardly pose as if you are having a great time at the pool in pants. But it’s a better place to actually have a great time with no pants at all.
Ace Hotel
600 Carondelet St., (504) 900-1180; acehotel.com/neworleans
For a $20 cover fee, the Ace Hotel’s trendy rooftop pool, with sweeping views of the city skyline, is open Monday through Thursday. The price jumps up by 10 additional bucks Friday through Sunday. Guests also can lounge in day beds, which cost $50 to reserve. The entire rooftop space is getting a “refresh” this month, says a hotel spokesperson, but will be ready to host poolside gatherings as of Memorial Day, with a new menu and programs carrying into Labor Day. After you’re done swimming, to keep the party going, head downstairs to catch a show, see one of the hotel’s rotating art exhibits, or satisfy the boozy munchies at its first-floor bars and restaurant, Josephine Estelle.
The Chloe
4125 St. Charles Ave., (504) 541-5500; thechloenola.com
The Chloe Hotel has become a destination, not just for out-of-towners, but for locals who have been drawn to its elegant restaurant and bar. Management says guests at the boutique hotel maintain priority use of the stylish pool, but a number of lounge chairs and tables are available for four-hour sessions. If you’re up for a dip, you’ll have to reserve the day-of, when the online bookings start at 8 a.m. Sessions last from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The cost is $40 to reserve a lounge chair and luxe pool towel, which comes with the lagniappe of a house-made frozen cocktail. Groups of four can shell out $80 for a table reservation, which also comes with a round of drinks and towels.
The Country Club’s pool is pretty, pretty nice.
The Country Club
634 Louisa St., (504) 945-0742; thecountryclubneworleans.com
The Bywater Country Club hasn’t quite been able to return to its previous splendor as a bustling summer party scene since the start of the pandemic — known also for its popular drag brunches — but it’s still a happening place to cool off. The staff says for now, they are opting to play it safe with a limited capacity. Rather than booking in incremental time slots, it’s operating on a first-come, first-serve basis. “Once we reach capacity at the pool or bar, we can only let one new person in for each person who leaves,” explains Country Club staffer Cameron Eaton. “We like people to be able to enjoy themselves as long as they wish,” he adds. “We love it when time slips away and you get to forget the clock for a change and just relax for a while. These days we all need that more than ever.” While many are there for the pool, the Country Club also has a full menu and a three-hour-long happy hour. If you’re a maniac and don’t think it’s quite hot and humid enough, it also has a sauna and hot tub.
The Drifter Hotel on Tulane Avenue hosts visitors and events including water ballet.
The Drifter Hotel
3522 Tulane Ave., (504) 605-4644; thedrifterhotel.com
As it did last summer, the Drifter Hotel is operating at a limited capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. The hotel offers “Drifting Away” sessions that last two hours and cost $15 — before staffers sanitize the space and get ready for the next round of guests. But The Drifter, which also hosted a range of special events, dance parties, yoga sessions and other pop-ups pre-pandemic, is starting to feel a little more like it did. Recently, it hosted a limited-capacity peep show, and there are plans to host more special events throughout the summer. — SARAH RAVITS
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