Baton Rouge
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
The 1927 Heidelberg Hotel, which Lt. Gov. Paul Cyr declared the state capitol in 1931 while Huey P. Long refused to give up the governorship.
- Built
- 1927NRHP nomination: 'The Heidelberg Hotel (1927) is a ten-story, vaguely Romanesque skyscraper'; HHA lists the property as opened 1927. Restored and reopened in 2006 together with the Hotel King across the street.
- Style
- Romanesque-influenced 1920s skyscraper
- Architect
- Edward F. Neild
- Type
- Grand hotel
- Credentials
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Historic Hotels of America member
The story
Architect Edward F. Neild designed the Heidelberg, Baton Rouge’s first luxury hotel, and construction began in 1927. In 1931, during Huey P. Long’s refusal to give up the governorship after winning a U.S. Senate seat, Lieutenant Governor Paul Cyr declared the hotel the state capitol and ran his claim from it. Long was a frequent guest and, by legend, used a tunnel to the Hotel King across the street; later guests included John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Fidel Castro. After more than 20 years vacant, a restoration costing over $70 million reopened it in 2006 as the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.
The ghost story
Historic Hotels of America says it has been said the tenth floor is haunted by Huey P. Long, and housekeepers report catching a whiff of cigar smoke in rooms they have just cleaned, although the hotel has been smoke-free since 2006. Reported lore.
Source: www.historichotels.org
Good to know
- Address: 201 Lafayette Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Sources (3)
Last verified October 2026. Details change; confirm with the inn before you book.