History

Discover Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, which Paul Cyr operated from when Huey P. Long refused to relinquish his duties as governor.

Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center was constructed during the “Roaring Twenties,” in which flappers, the radio, and the Art Deco movement defined the age.

The idea for the Heidelberg Hotel began in 1927, when architect Edward Nield casually sketched a luxury hotel on a napkin, with no formal plans to construct in Louisiana’s capital city. In 1928, Huey P. Long was elected governor, establishing himself as one of the state’s most colorful characters. In the 1930s, Long oversaw construction of a new state capitol building, four blocks from the Heidelberg Hotel. Among its hallmarks was its rank as the tallest capitol building in the country. In 1931, the Heidelberg itself served as the Louisiana Capitol during a dispute between Long and Lieutenant Governor Paul Cyr. Long, newly elected as senator, refused to relinquish his duties as governor and Cyr set up operations in the hotel. Long met an untimely and suspicious death in 1935 when he was assassinated in the hall of the Capitol building. Many events surrounding his death have never been explained, and rumors persist to this day, especially about the whereabouts of Long's reputed ""deduct box,"" a cache of political paybacks.

In 1931, hotel was briefly used as the Louisiana State Capitol during a power struggle between Huey P Long, Governor and Paul Cyr, Lieutenant Governor. Cyr declared the hotel the capitol of Louisiana when Long refused to hand over power after winning US Senate seat.

One of the unique features of the hotel is the secret underground passageway to the King Hotel across the street, which gave Huey direct access to his flamboyant mistress. Today, guests can dine in the infamous secret tunnel. The Heidelberg was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It has received a Bricks and Mortar award from the Foundation of Historical Louisiana. In 2006, after more than $70 million in renovations, the former Heidelberg Hotel was reborn as the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center hotel. Modern upgrades, tasteful amenities, a beautiful restaurant and lounge, and exercise facility give new life to this historic hotel.

Hotel Timeline

Architect Edward F. Neild designed the Heidelberg Hotel, Baton Rouge's first luxury hotel. Construction began in 1927, creating one of the city's most prominent skyscraper-era buildings.

The hotel quickly became associated with Louisiana politics after Huey P. Long's election as governor. He frequently stayed at the Heidelberg and made it one of his favorite meeting places.

The Heidelberg became one of Louisiana's major political gathering places, hosting influential figures and maintaining a secret tunnel connection to the nearby Hotel King.

During a power struggle between Governor Huey P. Long and Lieutenant Governor Paul Cyr, Cyr declared the Heidelberg Hotel the temporary seat of Louisiana's government and conducted official business from the hotel.

Following Long's assassination at the nearby Louisiana State Capitol, the Heidelberg remained closely associated with his political legacy.

Over the decades, the hotel hosted numerous distinguished guests, including John F. Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Jimmy Carter, Will Rogers, and Fidel Castro.

The Heidelberg Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its historical and architectural significance.

The hotel ceased operations and entered a prolonged period of decline and vacancy.

A restoration effort costing more than $70 million preserved the historic structure while updating it for modern hospitality use.

Following restoration, the historic Heidelberg Hotel reopened as the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.

Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The National Register designation was expanded to include the nearby Hotel King, recognizing the historic connection between the two properties.

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Famous Guests

Huey P. Long was a frequent guest of the Heidelberg Hotel and maintained close ties to the historic hotel during his tenure as Louisiana governor and U.S. senator.
John F. Kennedy visited the historic hotel during his career as one of the most influential political leaders of the twentieth century.
Hubert H. Humphrey was among the distinguished political figures welcomed by the historic hotel during its long history of hosting notable guests.
Jimmy Carter visited the historic hotel during a career marked by public service as the 39th President of the United States.
Will Rogers was among the celebrated entertainers and cultural figures who visited the historic hotel during its early years.
Fidel Castro was one of several internationally recognized political leaders associated with the historic hotel's distinguished guest history.

Ghost Stories

Known as the most colorful politician from Louisiana, the infamous Huey P. Long's favorite saying was, “Every man is a King.” His dream was to become the President of the United States and, while governor, he built a mansion that resembled the White House. He frequented the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, then known as the Heidelberg Hotel, so often that he even had a tunnel dug to the hotel across the street, then known as The King Hotel, so he could escape his enemies and visit his mistress. He loved the Ramos Gin Fizz which was created in New Orleans and was known to have brought one of their bartenders to New York to teach the other hotel staff members how to properly make the drink.

It has been said that the tenth floor is haunted by the ghost of Huey. Though the hotel has been smoke-free since 2006, housekeepers have reported catching a whiff of cigar smoke from rooms they've just cleaned.

Before the Heidelberg Hotel was renovated, the building had been vacant for more than twenty years falling into severe disrepair. During a pre-construction tour it was noticed that the pool was covered in mold and filth from over twenty years of neglect. On another tour the very next day someone noticed the pool was sparkling clean, like brand new. But absolutely no one had access to the area to have cleaned the pool.