http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2012-02-14T18:28:34Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Gianni%20Versace http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/12/8/9349/51395 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/casacasuarinawoes.jpg" class="top"><p> Things might have been popping in Miami Beach over the weekend, thanks to <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/art basel"><b>Art Basel</b></a> but one place that had the lights off was the old Gianni Versace mansion-turned-exclusive private hotel, <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Casa+Casuarina/local/654"><b>Casa Casuarina</b></a>. <p>The <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/scandal_shuts_gianni_manse_9Fsm4liDZy1gNduikGvZ3M">NY Post</a> reports that the hotel's owner, <b>Peter Loftin</b>, closed the gates after a major investor Scott Rothstein was arrested on charges of running a $1 billion Ponzi scheme.<p>Yet, this is actually just another bad turn for the Casa Casuarina. Initially, Loftin wanted to turn the house into a fancy, members-only club where folks would pay a $50,000 fee to join. Hotel rooms were open to a very select few that could afford the $5,000 fee. Gradually, as this juliana 2009-12-08T09:29:40-05:00 25.7819240 -80.130608 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/8/10/1736/60690 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/1425/casagianni.jpg" class="top"><p> Widely considered the third most photographed house in America (behind the White House and Graceland), <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/hotel-reviews/Casa+Casuarina/ian/239151"><b>Casa Casuarina</b></a> is set to become South Beach&#146;s newest nightclub.<br><br> More than a decade ago, telecommunications magnate Peter Loftin snapped up the Ocean Drive mansion after former owner, fashion icon Gianni Versace was gunned down on the property&#146;s front steps. Over the years, Loftin has played around with making the lavish 20,000 square foot estate profitable &#150; from running a private invite-only club (memberships at $35,000 a pop) to a 10-bedroom hotel, and most recently, opening up the grounds for tours.<p> Loftin recently teamed up with Scott Rothstein, a Fort Lauderdale lawyer and investor to convert the 1930&#146;s building into Bova@Casa globetrotting gourmet 2009-08-10T09:31:40-05:00 25.7819440 -80.130627 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/