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Expansion Across Collins Ave is Dela-No-Go

September 22, 2006 at 8:53 AM | 0 Comments

Ian Schrager's iconic South Beach hotel, The Delano, has scrapped plans to expand across the street.

Whew. Just when all the Jimmy Choo-ed were about to raise hell over having to trek across trafficky Collins Avenue just to bask in the boutiquey glory of The Delano's proposed expansion, Morgans Hotel Group decided it wasn't worth the wear and tear.

The sleek, Starck sanctuary of all things hip and trendy, the one that kicked off the infectious habit of turning every vacant space on South Beach, from Travelodges to convenience stores, into a boutique something or other, has decided that it will not add 70 extra rooms in the space across the street.

Instead, the company plans to open a more--gasp---affordable hotel at the space at 17th and Collins Avenue. Egads! Affordable? Well, not cheap, but, according to chief branding officer Tim Miller, "We should have different experiences at different price points for different audiences."

Translation: The Delano plans to hike room rates so they can charge what they are currently charging now at the "less expensive", tsk tsk, hotel across the street. Clever, isn't it?

In other bold moves, The Delano has announced that they will infuse color-yes, actual color, into their currently sterile, institutionalish rooms. Designer Tim Andreas has been hired to infuse "a splash of color" to the albino rooms. You can blame that splash for the price increase if you want.

Related Stories:
· Delano Coverage [HotelChatter]
· Delano Hotel Reviews [TripAdvisor]