New Orleans Hotels Get Back to Business

Hotels in New Orleans are reopening as people begin to return to the stricken city.

After the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina and its subsequent flooding, virtually the entire city was evacuated.

But after weeks of work by emergency crews thousands of gallons of water have been pumped out over the levies and New Orleans is beginning to return to some sort of normality.

Business owners were among the first to be allowed to return so that residents would have some basic services in place.

Hotels like the Windsor Court Hotel, are hoping to get up and running as quickly as possible and begin the task of wooing back visitors.

"The hotel has been an integral part of the city for over 25 years," said Simon Sherwood, president of owner Orient-Express Hotels. "As New Orleans starts the challenging process of recovery, we felt it important to open as soon as possible."