UPDATE: Wednesday, 9/7/05 5:00 PM. The deep burgundy neon of the Drury Inn & Suites sign shone brightly over New Orleans last night as power was restored to the building. A caravan of Drury team members is slowly making its way from Lafayette to the Big Easy and should be arriving this evening to begin clean-up efforts. Still no water but (and we're not making this up) the free high-speed internet is up and running. Our top priority is to prepare the hotel so that it can be used to provide relief workers and utility restoration technicians with a comfortable, clean and cool place to take a much needed rest.
UPDATE: Tuesday, 9/6/05 3:00 PM. Our team has gained access to the Drury Inn & Suites New Orleans and we are working to restore power this afternoon.
We had a few inches of water seep into the basement -- this has been pumped out and it appears that the hotel has sustained no major damage. Our key focus is on restoring utilities. While the city of New Orleans begins the process of recovery, there is a strong National Guard presence in downtown New Orleans with restricted access to the area. We are proud to report that our Gold Key Club and Inner Circle Club members have donated over $10,000 to the American Red Cross this past week. Thank you for your generosity.
UPDATE: Friday, 9/2/05 5:00 PM. The water continues to recede as the city begins the process of restoring services. Although our Drury Inn & Suites is in good condition, it is difficult to estimate when we might be able to re-open. Our hearts are heavy with the loss suffered by so many in this fine city -- we hold them in our thoughts and prayers. Special thanks to Capt. Jaun Quinton, Officer Ronald Gillard, and Officer Matt Riles of the New Orleans Police Department on the professionalism and bravery they have consistently displayed for the benefit of all residents and businesses in downtown New Orleans over the past several days. Your spirit and hard work instill in us a sense of confidence that the New Orleans we know and love will return even better and stronger.
UPDATE: Thursday, 9/1/05 11:00 AM. We are providing lodging at numerous Drury hotel locations for our New Orleans team members and their families who were required to evacuate the city. In addition, we will be extending pay and benefits for our Drury Inn & Suites New Orleans team members. Efforts are underway to deliver payroll checks (or cash, if necessary) to affected team members. A special fund is being set up to provide all Drury team members with the opportunity to donate money and/or vacation time (which will be converted to a cash contribution) for the benefit of our New Orleans team members.
There are currently no Drury team members at the Drury Inn & Suites New Orleans. Our only guests at this point are New Orleans' Finest -- we are pleased to provide lodging for the brave police officers working to ensure the safety and security of everyone in New Orleans.
Drury Gold Key and Inner Circle Members can donate their club points in increments of 15,000 points for a $50 donation to the American Red Cross 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund. Members can donate by contacting the Drury Gold Key/Inner Circle Help Desk at 1-800-325-0581, or by e-mailing
club@druryinn.com.
UPDATE: Wednesday, 8/31/05 5:30 PM. No significant changes from yesterday's report. Last report a few minutes ago was that water was starting to recede a little. All employees are safe and many have been relocated to other Drury hotels.
UPDATE: Tuesday, 8/30/05 5:00 PM. No electricity but we are still dry. Water is a block or so away due to the broken levee. The good news is that our lobby is 4 feet above sea level. Again, our thoughts and prayers go out to all people who have suffered loss as a result of the storm. We hope to be serving our Guests once again in the near future.
UPDATE: Monday, 8/29/05 5:00 PM. We are pleased to report that the Drury Inn & Suites New Orleans sustained relatively minor damage from Hurricane Katrina today. Congratulations to General Manager Palestine Riles and the New Orleans Drury Team on riding the storm out. Repairs are in progress and we hope to start entertaining Guests once again as soon as utility services are restored in the downtown New Orleans area. No timeframe for re-opening the hotel has been set as of now. Stay tuned for more updates. Our prayers and best wishes go out to all the families impacted by the storm
