New Orleans, LA
Overview: The Roosevelt is a Waldorf Astoria property in the heart of the French Quarter. The lobby, guest rooms and restaurants are what you would expect from a Waldorf hotel: historic, expensive and a little small.
Ballroom: The main ballroom, The Roosevelt Ballroom, is around 18,000 square feet and it can be divided into sections. For the conference that we were working, the ballroom was split to create a pre-function area that wrapped around the general session space. The layout was a little strange but worked for this conference.
AV Staff and Equipment: The in-house AV staff members were nice and attentive, but I would say they are more suited for small events and breakouts. The in-house company is willing to bring in freelance leads for events, which is helpful. The equipment available from in-house had some wear, and again is more suited for breakouts or small events.
Producer’s Notes: The hotel comes with everything you would expect from a Waldorf. The ballrooms and AV staff are also what you would expect from a Waldorf. They are kind and helpful, but the star of the property is the hotel—not the event space. The attendees always love the property but it is a space where we (the production side) have to get a little creative with stage design and layout.