Since the beginning, food, music, dancing and gaming have been an integral part of New Orleans society, served by a multitude of restaurants, bars, ballrooms and gaming rooms. In 1817, entrepreneur John Davis hoped to make his mark on this rich social scene. He did just that, opening what would become the famed Orleans Ballroom, where for the next 20 years, the city's love affair with dancing played out.

This early success led him build the Orleans Theater on an adjacent plot of land. Here he earned lasting recognition as he established French Opera in America and continued on to open opulent dining and gaming rooms that equaled the best in Europe.

But Davis' endeavors were soon lost as war destroyed most of the city's nightlife. By 1881, both the Orleans Theater and Ballroom had been acquired by the Sisters of the Holy Family for use as a school and convent. For the next 83 years they remained, until the need for expansion pressed them to sell the property to hotel interests. New additions would replace structures built by the nuns but the Orleans Ballroom would remain and begin a life more closely attuned to its opulent beginnings.

The Bourbon Orleans Hotel is locally owned and committed to preserving the history and character of the Hotel for generations.