The Drifter boasts a private swimming pool, a pool bar with wooden and white tile accents, and a private courtyard space. Greenery is ample and lush thanks to New Orleans’ subtropical climate. Inside, the tiling recurs in different guises – on poles, patterned – while the terrazzo flooring and furniture is cozy and modern in muted tones. The guestrooms continue with the theme of pristine white tiles and bedding in combination with wooden details. 

“From a design perspective, I had a strong interest in respecting the late 1950s motel architecture”, says Nicole Cota, the founder of the eponymous studio which oversaw the project’s interior design. 

The Drifter certainly invites its patrons to kick about at their leisure. There’s a café with specialty coffee from La Colombe and baked goods, food trucks and pop-ups come round on a regular basis, and there’s also much for the eye to behold. With plans for a packed event calendar as well as exhibits, The Drifter on Tulane Avenue promises to be New Orleans’ new people-magnet.