The Elysian Bar

After a four-year, $20 million rehabilitation project, ASH NYC and New Orleans resident Nathalie Jordi transformed the 19th century St. Peter & Paul compound in the Faubourg Marigny—consisting of a church, rectory, convent and school buildings—into the remarkably beautiful 71-room boutique Hotel Peter & Paul, which also features the Elysian Bar.

- Michael Dominici

The entire complex features custom fabrics, created by a 100-year-old Swiss textile manufacturer using gingham in a rich color palette of colors derived from 14th to 18th-century religious paintings. The colors compliment the gorgeous, original stained-glass windows that lord over the courtyard. Off-white linen and Baroque-style wood furniture and antique adornments also complement the original feel, created by New Orleans architect Henry Howard, who designed the original structure. The resulting transformation is a masterstroke of understatement; there is no signage indicating that any major change at the site ever happened, save for the inviting golden glow of amber light that illuminates the entire space.

The Elysian Bar offers several dining spaces including a handsomely-decorated parlor, progressing to a gorgeous nook called The Sun Room featuring larger tables in an area that looks like a Vermeer painting. The bar area, adorned in a lobster mushroom light, feels like the best-kept secret in town. The stunning courtyard is also a tempting dining option.