The Marvelous Executive Lounge at the JW Marriott in New Orleans

I'm on the road fairly often for work. I often stay in Marriott hotels.  One of the perks of loyalty to a big hotel chain like Marriott is that you get to enjoy the "executive lounge" when staying in nicer hotels.For those who don't know, executive lounges are common spaces that usually include free food, TV, Wi-Fi and comfortable furniture. The quality of the lounges varies significantly from one hotel to another. I have been in some lounges where it is basically just a large room with some chairs where a couple of snacks are put out and not much more. However, you occasionally encounter a lounge that is truly exceptional. The executive lounge at the JW Marriott hotel in New Orleans is one of those I would call truly exceptional. The lounge is accessed on the ground floor right near to the lobby. The first thing you notice upon entering the space is how large it is. Apparently it used to be a nightclub that Marriott took over and converted into a lounge. I have stayed in this hotel several times before and the lounge used to be upstairs and was quite small and cramped. Size is no longer a problem for them! Should you have the pleasure of visiting this lounge, be sure to go upstairs.  Upstairs is where you will find a pool table, a big screen TV, and more books than an airport Barnes & Noble. Chuck and I took a few minutes to play a couple of rounds of pool.  Then we both found interesting books that held our attention for awhile. They also have deluxe editions of board games spread our everywhere, including a very impressive version of the game Clue. The food was delicious as well. This was truly one of the best, if not the very best executive lounges I have every visited.Recommendation level: high