Reflecting on Naughty N'awlins 2023
by: Bob Hannaford
This has been a year of reflection for me. A time when I have been really looking at myself with new eyes to reveal who I am and what I represent. It has been a year of growth, but that growth only came after looking at not just the good things, but by taking an honest look at myself to reveal the issues I need to work on. Without this honesty, you cannot grow as a person. Without this type of honesty, you cannot grow your business or event.
Overall, I know I am a good person, but I strive to be a better person. To do that, I have gotten feedback from my business partner, my friends, my therapist, my family, and those closest to me. If all you hear are the good qualities within you, you cannot tackle the hard issues that need self-improvement.
It is with this same honest journey, that I am reflecting back on Naughty N’awlins today. Overall, the event was a huge success. It was our 25th Anniversary, it was our largest event in history and I can look back on many amazing daytime parties (at the Beach & Razoo), I can look back at the Oasis Pool Party I attended (Judy did a great job!), I was blown away by the video mapping at both hotels and I really got into the music this year (the two bands killed it and the DJ’s really stepped up their game).
But there is always improvement and that is why we sent out a survey to get both positive and negative feedback. We also had a post-conference meeting with our staff and the hotel and we poured through lots of emails. In the end, here are some things we did well and some things we need to improve on:
NOPSI Hotel
First the good stuff: This was our first time adding the NOPSI Hotel as an overflow option. We have used the AC Hotel and the Saint Hotels in the past, but the rooftop pool, the added meeting space, and the overall quality of the rooms and the property had us sold. We knew it was an extra block further than we had used in the past, but we figured being right next door to Colette might make the location work.
We decided to put police on every corner between the Astor & the NOPSI Hotel to make sure walking would be less “sketchy” late at night. We also rented two 6-passenger golf carts to take people to and from the hotels.
The bar in the lobby was a popular place to hang out and meet people, this might be the best part of the NOPSI experience.
Here's where we missed: On a couple of nights, we did not get all 6 police officers, one night we only got 3. Unfortunately, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) is understaffed and they could not provide exactly what we wanted every night. Next year we are going to hire off-duty Sheriff deputies to help make up the numbers.
Many people did not know about the golf carts. We gave them Naughty N’awlins T-shirts and added signs to the carts to make them look more official, but many people still thought they were just trying to hustle people for money. Next year we are going to hire some 20-passenger shuttles that will be clearly marked and we will let people know in advance so they know this service is available. It’s only a 3.5-block walk, but those who did use the golf cart said that they really appreciated the lift, especially the ladies in high heels (and sexy outfits).
We really whiffed on the playrooms Friday night. We had someone designated to open them up, but it never happened. I didn’t find out until after the event was over (in an email) and this really bothered me. Next year I am making the NOPSI playroom a pet project of mine so we can exceed expectations. This is a great space and we need to make it shine for those staying at the NOPSI Hotel.
We will add some classes to the schedule at the NOPSI next year, improve the playroom, and provide shuttles and more police along the route and I think the NOPSI will no longer be our overflow hotel, it will become our higher-end option for those looking for a more upscale version of Naughty N’awlins.
Naughty Pool Parties
Overall, people loved the pool parties at both hotels. The Astor has a clothing-optional pool with a relaxed, chill vibe and the NOPSI has a topless pool with two designated pool parties each day.
Where we can improve: There was one party that got canceled and we had an issue with one sponsor taking photos. Next year we will have a full schedule of parties and we already corrected the issue of photos at the pool and that sponsor knows better now.
I am proud of our staff for reacting quickly and having them delete the photos onsite, in front of the clients that complained. We appreciate when we are made aware of issues because we would rather correct them onsite than find out after the event is over.
Playrooms at the Astor
When we say that the playrooms were busy this year, we mean they were REALLY BUSY this year. We have never seen so many people playing at one time and it was beautiful.
This year, we didn’t close early on Saturday night, like we used to and people really appreciated the extra time. For the most part, the playrooms were a huge success.
One of the biggest challenges this year was the limited amount of sheets and towels the hotel provided. They had a new head of housekeeping and he simply was not able to keep up with the demand. We were totally out of towels AND sheets every single night. Luckily, we were able to meet the demand, but it wasn’t easy and it was stressful on our staff who strive to always provide a clean and beautiful place for everyone on the play floor.
We documented everything and we are confident that next year we will have plenty of both.
We had a few issues with people that we had to turn away, due to intoxication, but as our consent policy becomes more understood, we hope that this will not be as big of an issue in the future.
Classes and Education
This year, we added a new “Naughty Headmistress” to our staff and while there was a steep learning curve, she put together a great schedule of classes by an amazing group of professionals, leaders, and experts.
Next year we are going to start earlier so we can make sure we can add a few people who were already committed to other events. If you are interested in presenting next year, please contact Myrina@Naughty-Events.com.
One of our biggest misses was our Naked Speed Dating and our Couples Massage Classes. These are two of our most popular classes, but the people who usually teach them canceled 2 weeks out from our event and we never got them replaced with the right people.
Hopefully, our favorite teachers will be back next year, but if not, we will make sure to have training for our next teachers to make sure these popular classes are ready to go.
We had an issue with one of the moveable airwalls in the Astor Ballroom (EDM ROOM) and we could not close off a section for our daily classes and had to move them. Well, they ended up in the wrong place and the noise from the Burlesque show was super distracting. Hopefully, we won’t have another issue with the airwall next year and we can avoid this. Overall, we got high scores for the education portion, and with Myrina in charge, it will only get better.
Recap
Overall, our surveys and emails were very positive, but we are listening and we have identified several areas where we can continue to improve. Being the largest lifestyle event is always a challenge, there are a lot of moving parts and a wide variety of attendees to please. We will continue to take a hard look to make sure we provide the best possible experience.
We can’t improve if we do not listen, and I promise you that we are. I am always looking for feedback, both positive and negative. You can reach me at Bob@Naughty-Events.com.
We had a record number of registrations for 2024, which will take place a little earlier, on June 26-30, 2024, so get on board if you want to join us for another wild weekend unlike any you will ever experience.
