Our resort profile this time takes us to New Orleans, home of Frenchmen Orleans at 519, a 20-unit property within walking distance of the world-famous French Quarter. Located on Frenchmen Street, Frenchmen Orleans at 519 is convenient to the excitement of New Orleans, yet it’s separate from the madness of Bourbon Street. The area around Frenchmen Street has become known in its own right for world-class music, food and art, with several festivals and events happening throughout the year literally steps from the resort’s front door. You may have seen images of the area before. Several of the bars and jazz clubs on Frenchmen Street are regular settings in the acclaimed HBO series, “Treme.”

Jared Resch, general manager of Frenchmen Orleans at 519, told us that prior to Hurricane Katrina, the building housed apartments, and after the storm, it was renovated into hotel/timeshare units. “Of the 20 units at Frenchmen Orleans at 519, half of them are timeshare (Festiva Hospitality Group-owned) units, and the other half are hotel/rental units owned by the original developer, Ralph Mason. This three-story property has one-bedroom, 550-square-foot units, and two-bedroom, 750-square-foot units, all non-smoking. In addition to the bedrooms and bathroom, each Festiva-owned unit has a living room with a queen-size sofa bed and a fully equipped kitchen,” said Jared.

“The rooms at the Frenchmen Orleans at 519 are much more than accommodations,” said John Sellars, a member of the Festiva Adventure Club. “It’s like a home away from home. Whether you are a New Orleans newcomer or an expert, the front desk should be on your list of ‘where to stop before I go.’ Despite having been to New Orleans countless times in the past, I found that just a few conversations with the staff at Frenchmen Orleans at 519 allowed me to discover opportunities around the city I would never have been aware of otherwise. The staff was a wealth of knowledge concerning recommendations for where to eat, local attractions, and local events.”

Over the last four years, eight out of the 10 Festiva-owned units have been completely renovated, and two out of the 10 developer-owned rental units have been renovated. The exterior of the building was refurbished in 2008, and in 2010, a new lobby and public sitting area were built to allow for the front desk to be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

“All renovated units were designed by an interior designer from Baton Rouge,” continued Jared. “While all units have the typical timeshare condo layout – bedroom, living room, fully equipped kitchen, one full bathroom – each of the renovated units is styled with unique décor, so you could visit the Frenchmen Orleans at 519 several times and have a slightly different look and feel each time. Once you step inside the property, there is an open atrium courtyard that almost has a tropical feel complete with a fountain in the center, and plenty of lush plants and greenery throughout the area.”

Jared told us that Frenchmen Orleans at 519 is one of the few properties in the city to have a swimming pool and outdoor hot tub. These are located in an outdoor courtyard surrounded by a privacy fence and complete with chairs, tables and a gas grill. The property also has common seating areas on the balconies on each floor that overlook Frenchmen Street. There is limited paid secure parking at the resort. Free Wi-Fi Internet is available in all units and throughout the resort’s common areas.

“While there is no restaurant on-site, one can literally eat around the world on Frenchmen Street. Whether you desire Mexican, Middle Eastern/Lebanese, Thai, Italian-Creole, French-Creole, Cajun or just plain Southern comfort food, you are only a short walk away,” Jared said.

We asked Jared about the staff at this New Orleans resort. “You will never hear the phrase ‘that’s not my job’ from any of Frenchmen Orleans at 519’s 10 staff members. The small, tight-knit group is cross-trained so that they can always help one another and keep the property running smoothly. Aside from myself, all staff members are New Orleans natives, so sharing their love of their home city with guests helps make everyone feel at home.”

“Part of what made our stay so enjoyable was the friendliness and professionalism of the staff on duty,” said Carol Burrall and Bruce McNeal, also Festiva Adventure Club members. “Jared, the manager, introduced himself to us and made sure we knew he was available if we needed anything. Both of the receptionists answered our many questions with both patience and humor. They were also quick to take care of the requests we had and didn’t make us feel like we were imposing on them.”

Jared said aside from staff lunches and meetings, it doesn’t take much to motivate this staff. It’s a small group, and they all know that everyone must pull their weight and help one another to keep the guests happy enough to return.

We also asked if the current economy has changed Frenchmen Orleans at 519’s operating and marketing strategies. “Not particularly. New Orleans’ tourism economy has progressively improved since 2009 as the chamber of commerce and City of New Orleans have brought in more convention business, and between those efforts and the endless festivals, sporting events and the special place that New Orleans holds in so many people’s hearts all year, we haven’t really been hit as hard as some markets have.

“Since 2009, we have progressively become more ‘green’ by making small changes in our daily practices that do make a big difference over time. We’ve moved to using CFL light bulbs and more efficient air filters, we keep thermostats at a certain temperature when rooms are not in use, we make sure there are no unnecessary lights left on, etc. This not only saves money and is better for the environment, but it is also something encouraged and reinforced by Festiva’s Employee Stock Ownership Program (ESOP), which began in 2010.

As for the future, plans are to renovate the final two Festiva-owned units, and to give the pool area a facelift in 2012.

www.festiva-frenchmen.com