Enjoy Your Stay

Nov 1, 2003 12:00 PM, By Randy Southerland

Even for a city drenched in history and populated by every variety of colorful character, the Hotel Monteleone stands out. Since it was first opened by Antonio Monteleone in 1886, the stately mainstay of New Orleans' French Quarter has offered rest to a seemingly endless array of the famous and infamous.

With a reputation for being the largest and most prominent hotel in the colorful French Quarter, there's little wonder that securing both its historic bricks and mortar and a changing array of guests is a high priority.

“Since Sept. 11, I've been given a little more leeway in upgrading systems,” says Richard Condon, the hotel's security director. “I've added additional closed circuit television (CCTV) and now every exit and entrance of the hotel is monitored.”

These cameras can be monitored remotely on the Internet with an approved password. Hidden cameras cover the public areas and transmit images back to a central station within the hotel.

In addition to the cameras, hotel staff have been crossed-trained with security personnel in policies and procedures for managing everything from how to check-in guests safely to handling unattended packages. In a departure from previous practice, the hotel no longer allows guests or passing tourists to check luggage while shopping in the French Quarter.

“And we have orientation to (give employees) some security points they can become involved with,” Condon says. “Our goal is to have the assistance of everybody on the staff.”

Condon emphasizes training personnel to handle situations and to provide them with the necessary technology to do their jobs.

An example is the hotel's use of guard tour systems supplied by Oxford, Conn.-based Morse Watchman.

“We can tell where (security officers) have been (in the hotel) and how long they were in those particular areas,” Condon says. “We have watch stations located throughout the property, and when (the officers) punch a station, it gives a location and a time. If they're at that station for an excessive amount of time, they have to punch a code as to what they were handling at that location. It gives us a good indication of the type of work they are doing.”

The Hotel Monteleone's security and safety efforts have not gone undocumented. The hotel has been recognized by Wilmington, Del.-based SafePlace Corp. — an independent provider of safety accreditation of lodging, healthcare, schools and other facilities.

Meeting planners favor accredited hotels, according to SafePlace Corp. CEO John Fannin. With no accredited hotels in New Orleans — a major convention destination — SafePlace conducted a survey of leading hotels, and the Monteleone responded.

The accreditation process began with a detailed application that includes documents and verifications including maintenance contracts, testing of systems such as fire alarms, and statements from the city about the hotel's code compliance, Fannin says.

An inspector was then dispatched to the Monteleone to verify the items in the application — to observe potentially 600 individual points of fire, security and life safety. They also interviewed hotel personnel about training and their knowledge of particular procedures.

When the survey was completed, a “Findings and Recommendations Report” was prepared detailing areas where the hotel passed or failed the criteria.

“We look at the protection model as a triangle,” Fannin says. “We think that to be effective, you have to deal with more than just technology such as CCTV and sprinkler systems and fire alarms. We look for an integration of people's processes and technology needs to take place before there is a good protection plan for the facility.”

The investigation also looks at hiring procedures to verify that the facility is using good practices in securing personnel that are not only competent, but have clear backgrounds.

“They don't get credit for a policy unless it's written, unless the staff is trained in this policy and unless it's tested,” Fannin says.

In most cases, when a facility has invested in technology, it is in the area of policies and procedures that it falls short. Where technology such as CCTV and door alarms are lacking, the biggest deficiencies tend to occur in public spaces and the building's perimeter.

VIPs Galore

Authors Sherwood Anderson, William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams were frequent guests in the 573-room Hotel Monteleone. Writer Truman Capote claimed he was born there. Huey Long, the fiery Louisiana politician who seemed to be headed to the White House before his assassination, always stayed at the Monteleone. Paul Newman romanced Joanne Woodward there, and the couple called it their favorite hotel.

Boxer Joe Frazier trained for his bout with Mohammed Ali in the hotel, while spectators were charged a dollar to watch. The hotel has been the backdrop for major motion pictures such as Double Jeopardy and Blaze — the story of Louisiana Gov. Earl Long's infamous romance with stripper Blaze Starr.

The hotel's long history has enabled it to to be designated a historic landmark.

For the Record

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