Miami Beach Travel Guide
Hotel Rumors / Miami Hotel Mambo / Ace Hotels / Hotel Hype / Sydell Group / → All Tags
An Ace Hotel is Not Coming to Miami (We Don't Think)
A recent blog post on design site, PSFK had our hearts aflutter with this headline, "Ace Hotel Miami Tests Whether Or Not Room Color Effects Your Mood" but when we clicked to read the story, it was actually about a color project at the Ace Hotel Palm Springs. Not sure why PSFK messed up the headline but we started to wonder if an Ace Hotel really was coming to Miami.
That curiosity lead us to this post from Miami Rankings which had some good scoop:
We aren’t getting an Ace Hotel here in Miami but the Indian Creek Hotel on South Beach is going to be renovated and reopening as an upscale hostel (note the errant ‘s’ in that word) that is owned by the same folks who own the Ace Hotel in NYC and Palm Springs. But here’s the fun part–the Sydell Group’s properties include the following restaurants: The Breslin Bar and Dining Room, The John Dory Oyster Bar, No. 7 Sub, and others. Anticipated opening date: Fall 2012.
Miami Hotel Mambo / SLS Hotels / Hotel Openings / SBE / Sam Nazarian / Philippe Starck / Hotel Bathrooms / → All Tags
Showering at SLS South Beach Will Make You Pretty in Pink
With the opening of The SLS Hotel at South Beach coming up in April, we're officially in stalking mode.
Don't worry, we're not creeping around the construction site, a bunch of roses and unrequited love notes in hand. But we are checking out the hotel's website and Facebook page religiously, anxiously awaiting any new crumb of a detail or sneak peek of what's to come in one of the most anticipated hotels of the year.
This week, our devotion was rewarded: look at the pretty-in-pink renderings of the guest bathrooms that were just posted!
Miami Hotel Mambo / Gansevoort Hotels / Starwood Capital / Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel News / → All Tags
Gansevoort Miami Beach Finally Drops The Gansevoort and is Now Known as The Perry
It's lights out for The Gansevoort in Miami Beach
Nearly two years after the Gansevoort South/Miami Beach actually ceased to be a Gansevoort Hotel, we've now got word that the hotel has changed its name and will also get started on some much-needed renovations.
Miami-based tipster @DeeTCL tells us the hotel is no longer bank-owned, that Starwood Capital (not Starwood of the W Hotels) has moved in and that the hotel is going by the name, The Perry. Renovations will start soon and will be done in two years. However, despite Starwood's involvement, Coral Hospitality will remain on board as the management company. Already, the Gansevoort's website seems to be defunct while the perrysouthbeachhotel.com is up and running.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Restaurants / Kimpton Hotels / → All Tags
Sampling The Street Food-Inspired Fare at The Surfcomber's Lantao Kitchen
The reason we were scoping out the lobby designs at The Surfcomber the other day? We were heading to the hotel's new Lantao Kitchen for lunch.
We were intrigued by the sound of street-food-inspired South East Asian cuisine and a casual setting where sharing plates was welcome. Miami Beach is a bit of a wasteland when it comes to good Asian food (aside from sushi), and we were hankering for some spice.
Since Lantao is located towards the back of the hotel, out by the pool, we got to stroll through the lobby and enjoy the gorgeous Miami weather en route. There is outdoor seating available but we opted for the air-conditioned comfort inside.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Guess The Hotel / Kimpton Hotels / Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel Design / Hotel Pools / → All Tags
A Look at The Kimpton Surfcomber's Beefed Up Decor and Pool Scene
How did you go with our last Guess The Hotel game? Did you identify the home of those cow statues by the pool as The Surfcomber? If not, you're dead wrong!
We took a peek at the new Kimpton-on-the-beach the other day, and found a spacious lobby with lots of designy quirks and an awesome pool deck with cabanas a-go-go and plenty of space to stretch out on regular ol' daybeds and outdoor beanbags in the sand, too.
According to a Kimpton press release,
Surfcomber’s new design-driven spaces marry the eclectic style of European Bohemia with a down home American front porch appeal. The design creates an inviting and comfortable atmosphere, with elements of surprise throughout. Combined with Kimpton’s warm and welcoming service, the hotel offers guests a retro, breezy atmosphere and a distinctive South Beach experience that is as cool as it is friendly, and as sexy as it is fun.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Restaurants / Delano / Morgans Hotel Group / The Light Group / → All Tags
Bianca Checks Into The Delano on Friday—Come Hungry (And Rich)
It seemed sudden when we first learned the news that Blue Door Fish was closing and a new restaurant would be opening in its place at the Delano Hotel. It still does, as the revamp has moved at Light Group-speed (heh) and Bianca opens her doors on Friday.
We actually loved the food at Blue Door Fish, so we're sad about that loss but excited to see what the Italian, farm-to-table, Slow Food-movement menu at Bianca actually tastes like.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Pools / Hotel Renovations / → All Tags
The Pool is Now Open at Hotel Breakwater
Last year, Ocean Drive got a revamped Deco hotel with a SoBe scene vibe in Hotel Breakwater. Now, at last, the hotel has unveiled its pool, making it one of the few hotels on Ocean to have one--especially one facing the actual ocean across the street.
As you can see, it's not very big, but we do admire its modern look and simplicity. We imagine the beauty of taking a dip here has more to do with the hangover cure qualities of the water and the view than with anything as athletic as swimming laps.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Renovations / Hotel Pools / Hotel Restaurants / Historic Hotels / → All Tags
The National Hotel Miami is Getting a Little Work Done
** UPDATE: We hear from the National's PR reps that the Airstream is no longer part of the renovation plans. Sounds like the Preservation Board nixed those plans after all. But the backyard kitchen is getting a reno--with a new sundeck for daybeds on top--so that's something.
As you can see from our snapshot, Miami's National Hotel is getting a little top-work done. Perhaps in an effort to keep up with the Joneses--or, on this stretch of Collins Ave, with next-door neighbor Delano, the newly glammed-up Shelborne and the soon-to-open SLS South Beach?
As an historic property, the National has to adhere to restoration preservation guidelines and it's from the Miami Beach Preservation Board's minutes that we found out a little more about the spit-and-polish going on here.
Back in November, the National got approval for the partial demolition, renovation and restoration of the existing hotel-- including design modifications to the interiors and exteriors, construction of a new entrance canopy and construction of a new single-story building at the pool deck. That beachfront area out back will also get spruced up in the landscaping department, and it sounds like there will be additional roof deck space for guests to get their sun on.
Hotel Restaurants / Chefs / W Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / → All Tags
Going Dutch at the W South Beach
Back in October we noted that the W South Beach would be doing away with their Solea restaurant and installing The Dutch, an oyster bar, from NYC chef Andrew Carmellini. (This is actually the second Dutch location after NYC.)
But when we popped into the restaurant last week, we were salivating to see that Carmellini has imported one of our favorite dishes from his other NYC hotel, Locanda Verde at the Greenwich Hotel. That's right we're talking about the heavenly sheep's milk ricotta served with grilled bread ($14).
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Construction / Faena Hotels / Cipriani Hotels / → All Tags
Is That Construction Noise Saying Ciao, Cipriani Miami?
Last summer, we passed by this building--the site of the perpetually-delayed Cipriani Miami--every day. And it was a dead zone. Nothing happening. Which led us to believe the fancy-pants project was dead in the water.
Not so! A Miami tipster sent us this shot snapped this week, along with word that construction was afoot. At last! But. It may not be a Cipriani.
It turns out that the ill-fated Cipriani development was taken over by Argentine hotelier Alan Faena--yes, of the hip Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires. And here's what he has in store for the site...
Celebrity Scoop / Miami Hotel Mambo / Dwayne Wade / Hotel Parties / → All Tags
Dwayne Wade's New Car Gets Airlifted into The Setai
We know hotel valet parking can be astronomical, but how much do you think it costs to airlift your car onto the pool?
If you're Dwayne Wade, the answer is nada. In yet another installment of The Darndest Things Happen to Hotels When Celebrities are Staying There, the Miami Heat star had a huge 30th birthday bash at The Setai on Sunday night, where he received this lavish gift from a local car dealership.
TMZ has the exclusive photos of the elaborate steps it took to get the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C into the hotel's inner courtyard pool where the party took place, along with a shot of a beaming Wade receiving it.
King and Grove Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Rebrandings / → All Tags
Evidence of King & Grove Inside The Tides South Beach
So now that King & Grove is on a whirlwind takeover spree (see Los Angeles, The Hotel Chelsea and The Hotel Williamsburg), we thought it was high tide, er, time we popped into one of their hotels to see what all the fuss was about.
Yet as far as we can tell, there's not much too fuss over.
We casually strolled around the Tides Hotel in South Beach last week and aside from a sign near the hotel's Terrace (aka streetside) cafe and a business card holder atop the maitre'd stand, everything seemed very Tidesian.
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