Boutique hotel company Lark Hotels has entered into a new partnership with New Orleans-based hospitality group Angevin & Co., founded by restaurateur and entrepreneur Robert Thompson.
Both industry leaders, Lark Hotels and Angevin & Co. are best known for their individual successes in creating experiential hospitality concepts, according to the companies. Since 2012, Lark Hotels has introduced design-forward boutique hotels throughout vacation towns in coastal cities from the Northeast to California. Thompson is responsible for culinary destinations and programs across the U.S., including the conceptualization and introduction of the Punch Bowl Social eatertainment concept, successfully opening 20 locations across the country. The pair will first reimagine the historic The Frenchmen Hotel in New Orleans slated to open later this year.
The companies come together in a strategic partnership to draw on Lark’s expertise in high-end hotel operations and service paired with Angevin & Co.’s expertise developing cutting-edge beverage programs and culinary hotspots. Together, the pair will introduce neighborhood-centric boutique hotel experiences, centered around placemaking restaurant concepts with imaginative culinary and bar programs.
The inaugural project for the partners is the revival and reintroduction of The Frenchmen Hotel, located on Frenchmen St. in New Orleans, and set to open in Q4. The historic property is currently undergoing renovations to all 27 guestrooms and public areas, including its two bars and outdoor pool deck, before its reintroduction. When the property reopens later this year, the hotel will debut redesigned, contemporary interiors as well as an elevated bar program introducing craft beverages inspired by the jazz music and neighborhood culture of Frenchmen St.
“We are elated to announce our creative collaboration with Robert Thompson and his team at Angevin & Co. beginning with The Frenchmen Hotel,” said Rob Blood, founder/president, Lark Hotels. “Building off our work together in reviving the New Orleans gem destined to be a locals’ haunt, we are evaluating the market and looking for specific opportunities to acquire or third-party manage unique properties in the South and Southeast, from Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA to Austin and New Orleans. By aligning on our desire to create destination-worthy restaurants and bars that support an experiential and memorable hotel stay, the future business opportunities seem limitless.”
“We are designing hotel spaces from a restaurateur’s perspective and reengineering the food and beverage platform at each destination to elevate the guest experience,” said Thompson. “There is white space in reinvention. Lark Hotels is unmatched when it comes to exceptional service and managing operations in the boutique hotel space, and we’re excited for the opportunity to collaborate with them as we open the doors to The Frenchmen Hotel this year and many future properties throughout the country.”
