John Price, General Manager – Thought Leader
John Price, General Manager
The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, Provenance Hotels
535 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans
504-527-5271
Old77Hotel.com
John Price feels fortunate to have found his calling early in life—it’s been over thirty years since he first fell in love with hotels, the intricacies of their operation, the relationships that form between hotel and guest, and the employees whose unique dispositions put guest experiences first. Over his career, Price has been mentored by some of the best in the industry, people he describes as innovative and trailblazing, consistent, empathetic, visionary yet practical, and challenging yet supportive. As General Manager at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery from Provenance Hotels, Price now mentors the next generation of hospitality professionals.
“My greatest feeling of accomplishment comes from looking out across the industry and seeing those people that I’ve helped and the professional hoteliers that they have become,” says Price. “There is a genuineness that evolves in the best of hotel employees that is amazing to watch grow,” he says.
A focus on experience and authenticity is what distinguishes Price and The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery as thought leaders in hospitality—a concerted effort to introduce New Orleans not just as a city but as a culture that is rich, varied, and unlike any other in the world. According to Price, the goal has never been to simply run a hotel. Rather, the aim is to help preserve the city’s culture and way of life by sharing it and helping others explore it.
One of many ways The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery accomplishes this goal is through its work with the local arts community. Its partnership with Where Y’Art brings changing exhibitions of local art to the hotel while the chandlery features goods by local and regional makers of t-shirts, art, jewelry, fragrances, soaps, candles, and more. Additionally, the hotel offers stay packages that promote cultural experiences.
“I’m most proud of the hotel’s work with Restore the Mississippi River Delta organization,” says Price. “We raise money for their coastal restoration efforts through a special offer that provides five percent of the guest’s room revenue to them in contribution,” he says. The best-selling promotion raised over $17,000 in 2019 and is evidence that eco-tourism is an important trend that will continue to grow.
“The trend toward restoration has been a part of our company’s vision from the beginning, and I think that will grow into greater opportunities for the community and cultural economy,” says Price.
