n an effort to become a thriving, young, Black-owned boutique hotel management company, Howard University alumni Damon Lawrence and Marcus Carey, launched Homage Hospitality Group in 2016. After years of development, the duo has opened “The Moor,” their first boutique hotel, or what they prefer to call “home,” in New Orleans. Their website, www.stayhomage.com, allows for direct booking with stay available from July 8.

The Moor is expressed as an immaculate space, paying homage to the pioneers, and highlighting pivotal moments that mold Black culture. It is the first Homage Hausotel, also known as a boutique home, which differentiates itself from a hotel and a bed and breakfast. The Moor launched on July 1, 2018, was developed on the property of a Spanish-colonial home built-in 1921. It is a brand new four-unit hausotel (hotel) with an African and Moroccan vibe in the Mid-city District of New Orleans on the historic Canal Street. Each of the four units feature living spaces, bedrooms, and kitchenettes.