Courtesy Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
877-862-9800 or 225-344-5866
225-906-0595 fax
www.hiltoncapitolcenter.com
What’s new: By the time the U.S. Bowling Congress rolls into town in January 2012 for six months of competition, the hotel hopes to have a poolside bar and grill and a piano bar near the tunnel that once connected it to the King Hotel (soon to be the Hotel Indigo) across the street.
Kudos: Since it opened, the Baton Rouge Hilton has been in the chain’s top 10. It is No. 6 worldwide in customer service and No. 3 in North America. The hotel’s $72 million rehabilitation earned it membership in Historic Hotels of America. The hotel is also a recipient of AAA’s Four Diamond award.
Rooms: There are 290 guest rooms, including the Huey Long Suite, a re-creation of the space the infamous governor occupied. The Huey Suite is one of two presidential suites on the hotel’s executive floor.
Meeting space: About 20,000 square feet of meeting space includes two ballrooms with views of the Mississippi: a modern 7,100-square-foot divisible ballroom and the 3,200-square-foot Heidelberg, on the 10th floor of the historic hotel, a vintage knockout with carved moldings, opulent drapes and artful chandeliers. There are also breakout rooms and a boardroom on its first floor; in temperate weather, the pool deck is used for parties.
Amenities: The Kingfish bar and restaurant are hangouts for Louisiana powerbrokers, and Huey’s Coffee Shop is a quick stop for snacks and coffee. A riverfront pool and deck sits off the third floor. Shuttle service is complimentary within a five-mile radius. The hotel also has a full-service spa, a business center and concierge service.
Location: The hotel is on the Mississippi River, adjacent to the Shaw Center for the Arts, two blocks from the River Center Convention Center. It is five minutes from the Louisiana state Capitol, three miles from the Louisiana State University campus and eight miles from the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
