What Was Once the ‘Swankiest Night Spot’ in the South Is Now a Cool Boutique Hotel
After sitting vacant for nearly 20 years, the Dew Drop Inn is back.
As we propel into the future, nostalgia still reigns. From the monoculture of Barbie to an increased interest in old-school travel like scenic road trips and bucolic small towns, the past is capturing the zeitgeist like never before. So it only makes sense that one of the hottest new hotels in New Orleans is one off the National Register of Historic Places.
The Dew Drop Inn reopened this month after sitting vacant for nearly 20 years. Originally opened by barber Frank G. Painia in 1939, this spot was a fixture in the Central City neighborhood for decades, hailed as “the South’s swankiest night spot” by Louisiana Weekly. Far more than a standard New Orleans hotel, it was a cultural cornerstone that doubled as a live music venue, a barbershop, a nightclub, and a stomping ground on the Chitlin’ Circuit for vaunted voices like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Etta James, and Little Richard, who came up with “Tutti Frutti” at the Inn.
Thriving during the Civil Rights movement, the Dew Drop earned a place in the Green Book as a safe haven for travelers before the live music venue closed in 1970, just two years before Frank Painia’s death. Painia’s family continued to run the lodging part of the Dew Drop until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina sealed its fate.
Fast forward to the present, when an enterprising New Orleans native, Curtis Doucette Jr., acquired the dormant legend. Spurred by a love for music and passion for preserving Black culture, the real estate developer spent three years bringing it back to its rhythmic glory. Today, the 17-room boutique feels at once old and new—a swanky homage to yesteryear, paired with top-of-the-line design details, amenities, and a 410-person music venue that will be home to live music most nights of the week.
“The thing about the Inn that makes people fall in love is that history, that musical invention,” says Doucette. “You have folks like Ray Charles, who became like a family member, and performed there. Little Richard wouldn't be who he is today if it weren’t for his interactions there.” The Inn’s roots, both as a haven and as a wellspring of inspiration, made it a bastion for big stars and locals alike. It was also run by an unabashed rabble-rouser, as Painia was harassed and arrested for race mixing. Also an early refuge for the LGBTQ+ community, the Dew Drop hosted female impersonators and annual gay galas, both of which the new owner aims to bring back.
By Painia’s death in 1972, after segregation was banned in businesses like hotels and theaters, the Inn was no longer the essential sanctuary it once was. “Eventually, it got to the point where it was an hourly rent motel,” adds Doucette. “Hurricane Katrina dealt the final blow.”
The Dew Drop was reborn with help from design firm Studio Kiro and design cooperative Civic Studio, giving the property an Art Deco and mid-century modern aesthetic to harken back to its heyday, along with Ryan Gootee General Contractors ensuring construction adhered to historic preservation requirements (Dew Drop Inn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022).
“Our number one goal [was] to restore it as close as possible to what it used to be,” Doucette explains, repurposing as many original materials as possible while replacing outdated structural items with of-the-era refurbished features, turning the original two-structure complex into one cohesive Inn, and working with a historic consultant to keep in step with the original motif.
Every step of the way, anything replaced had to meet the approval of the Louisiana State Historic Preservation Office. “We’re returning as a hotel, music venue, bar, restaurant, and a pool addition—not just for patrons, but for anyone in New Orleans who wants to enjoy the resort-like atmosphere.”
Spotlighting its musical roots, each room pays homage to a cultural icon with connections to the Inn. “Each of the rooms are designed to be like a museum exhibit,” says Doucette. “Each one celebrates someone special who spent time there, limited to folks who had an intimate connection with the Inn, like Little Richard, Ray Charles, and Allen Toussaint.” Meanwhile, suites like the Groove Room and the Nite Cap offer views of the main stage.
A new addition, the aptly dubbed Haven Pool Bar looks to be another anchor for the property, both with guests and locals (anyone not staying at the Inn can purchase a daily pool pass). Still to come, the Dew Drop plans a restaurant with authentic Creole cuisine.
Much has changed since the Dew Drop Inn’s mid-century heyday, but the power of community and music—at a historic hotel in a historic neighborhood—are eternal.