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The W South Beach's Wish Wheel at Art Basel
We told you last week that the W South Beach would be promoting the opening of their hotel with a Wish Wheel which would be staffed by sexy, Project Runway-dressed models cruising around in a mini, golf cart-sized Hummer during Art Basel.
Naturally, with something this flashy we wanted some photographic proof. And we got it.
This here is the Wish Wheel, the W Models and Latin American singer Carlos Vives (pictured in the middle) who spun the wheel and landed on Aaaaah. We're not quite exactly sure what his prize was but it definitely takes place at the W South Beach. Maybe it's a spa-treatment or a VIP poolside service. We'll only know when the hotel opens later this spring.
More W Wish Wheel photos after the jump. Thanks Leemor!
Tags: Art Basel / Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Art / Hotel Parties / Andre Balazs / Top Chef / → All Tags
Overheard at Art Basel: Andre Balazs Talking About His "Shack"
Blogger All Purpose Dark kindly sent over the link to her party report from Art Basel. And she got some good scoop. Starting off with what she overheard sexy hotelier Andre Balazs saying at the Raleigh Hotel for Kelly Klein's book party.
Highlight: Overhearing Balazs say to someone: "You can do that, you have a real house. I have a shack." Of course he does.
Hmm...what shack could he be talking about? The Maison Tropicale? Or could it be that he really has a shack somewhere? (Note: AB's version of a "shack" is probably still bigger than our apartment.)
More party report after the jump.
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W Models in Hummer Golf Carts Will Be Asking "What's Your Wish?"
That might be the most randomest headline we have ever written but hey its Art Basel Time in Miami Beach--anything goes!
As a way to promote the upcoming (soon, hopefully) W South Beach Hotel models will be riding around Miami Beach in mini-golf-cart-sized Hummers with a Wish Wheel allowing people to spin and win a Wish Card. This is all a part of the W Hotels' "What's Your Wish?" Campaign. Prizes on the Wish Wheel include product discounts at W South Beach's Bliss Spa, complimentary cocktails at Serafina or Mr. Chow inside the hotel, and VIP poolside service.
How to flag down the Wish Wheel? It's simple:
The Wish Wheel will be attached to the back of the vehicle and the models will be stopping frequently and encouraging passer-by’s to spin the wheel and win their Ooh, Aah or Mmm Wish depending on where their spin lands. Winners can then visit Whotels.com/sobewish or text their wish code for details about their prize and to find more fun and exciting information on the exclusive world of Wonderlust at W South Beach.
An added bonus for Project Runway fans? The models will be wearing outfits designed by Season 3 fave (and lover of all animal prints) Uli Herzner.
The models will be cruising today around the Container Village (the area surrounding 23rd and Collins) and tomorrow in the Design District from 3 to 7pm.
If you spin on the Wish Wheel, you MUST email us and let us know what you got. Photos too are always good!
Tags: Art Basel / Hotel Amenities / Hotel Art / AB Hotels / Standard Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / → All Tags
Art Basel Inspires The Standard and The Raleigh's Towel Art
Rejoice: we have found the perfect holiday gift that you can distribute to that artsy sister of yours, your hotel-geek friends and your "practical gifts only" mother. Though today's HotelChatter holiday shopping recommendations were not half as fun to spend time researching as the collection of items we picked out at the HHonors store (they have raincoats for dogs! Come on!), this is still kinda kickass: towel art.
Yeah, that sounds fairly unexciting and likely conjures up images of monkeys and elephants built from cruise-ship towels, but think of it like this: you can wrap your body in art, people. The artwork is printed on the towel.
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Sagamore's Sandtastic Sand Castle is Complete
Lo and Behold, the Sandtastic Sand Sphinx designed by Olaf Bruening.
The sandcastle masterpiece/artwork has been fully completed and is now on display on the beach behind the Sagamore Hotel in Miami Beach. As we told you the other day, Bruening and his team were being filmed via the hotel website's live webcam as they began building the sand art. And this isn't just some regular ole' sandcastle. It's a girl wearing a thong bikini with a "Paul Klee-inspired face." Way cool.
The work was commissioned by the hotel's owners in conjunction with the Art Basel art fair. Let's just hope they have major security around this sculpture.
Another picture is after the jump.
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Hotels Hosting Parties and Art for Art Basel
Art Basel officially begins tomorrow at the Miami Beach Convention Center but several art shows have opened today throughout the city. And the parties (almost as popular as the art) are also in full effect. Naturally, the bigger hotels are hosting parties but a few others hotels are doing satellite art fairs meaning you can wander from guest room to guest room studying various artists.
As for attending the parties, these are very exclusive and most require an invitation and an RSVP. But if you're really talented, we're sure you can find a way in. Afterall, have we not learned anything from Raffaello Follieri this year?
Some notes on the Art Basel scene after the jump.
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Sagamore Hotel Building Giant Sandcastle for Art Basel
The Sagamore Hotel always knows how to ring in Art Basel. Last year, the hotel courted the nude art lover by unveiling Spencer Tunick's group nude photoshoot which was done at the hotel over the summer. This year, the show is a little more family-friendly. From the Miami Herald:
[A] massive sand sculpture to be created by Swiss artist Olaf Breuning on the beach behind the Sagamore Hotel....The untitled work, commissioned by Sagamore Hotel owners Cricket and Martin Taplin, will feature a huge bikini girl with a Paul Klee-inspired face.
Even better, Bruening has begun construction on the castle and the hotel's own website is hosting a live webcam of the construction (that's a picture from the webcam above.) Seriously, webcams and sand castles? Could there be anything more perfect?
If you swing by the Sagamore hotel in person, let us know how the castle is progressing. Just watch out for Naomi Campbell's boyfriend.
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Hotel Rooms Still Available for Art Basel
Art Basel is one of the world's biggest contemporary art shows and it's happening in Miami Beach this week from December 4-7. As artists, wealthy people (over a billion dollars of art is on display) and the ubiquitous models collide, hotels are generally packed and overpriced. However, there are some options for those of you who want to stay in style.
Since the eagerly anticipated Mondrian South Beach does not seem to have availability this week, the hotel is recommending sister hotels The Delano and The Shore Club to guests. But that's only if you got the cash. The Delano is charging $845 a night from Dec. 4-7 and Shore Club is asking $715 a night.
On the more affordable scale is the Gansevoort South which has rooms open at $295 a night. Our Miami Beach fave, the Angler's Resort, starts at $450 a night. The Mandarin Oriental Miami is open at $459 a night and the Ritz-Carlton South Beach jumps up to $499 a night.
Of course, there are a few Miami faves that are completely sold out. The Raleigh Hotel, always a big stop on the Art Basel scene, has no rooms open. Neither does The Standard, The Setai, or The Tides.
If you are on the ground at Art Basel later this week, let us know what you're up to and where you're going (hotel-related of course.) All other Art Basel thoughts, drop 'em in comments below.
[Photo: Courtesy MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel/Zurich) Ltd.]
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Here's Hoping the Mondrian South Beach Opens Next Week
Oh noes! Is the Mondrian South Beach going to be open next week? The hotel has said it would be opening Dec. 1st with rooms going for a killer introductory rate of $195 a night. Yet when we tried some dates online, nothing was available. The website was also giving us a "minimum requirement of three nights" message as well.
We know that Art Basel is swinging into town very shortly but there were rooms open at the sister properties--The Shore Club and The Delano. Hmm....We hope this place is still opening on time, the wait is killing us!
Have you been able to book at room at the Mondrian Miami? If so, let us know in comments below.
Tags: Andre Balazs / Hotel News / Hot Hotelier News / Art Basel / → All Tags
AB on AB: Andre Balazs' Thoughts on Art Basel
Now that Art Basel has been put to bed, it's time for everyone to dissect this year's fair. Was it good? Was it bad? Has it jumped the shark? Is it now just full of poseurs or tourists in fanny packs as Fast Company mentioned?
The answer is probably yes. Even Andre Balazs thinks it was a bit overblown. In an interview with the NY Observer he said:
"Every year it's more and more of a circus and a phenomenon."
It's interesting that he would use the word circus considering that his own hotel The Raleigh was actually promoting a circus, SpiegelWorld, during Art Basel. (The show begins Dec. 20th and runs through Feb. 6.)
Still Andre was careful not to diss the art fair completely saying he had respect for the art and culture pushers who make Art Basel happen.
Tags: Party Dispatch / Hotel Parties / Hotel Lounges / Lenny Kravitz / Art Basel / Hotel Uniforms / → All Tags
Art Basel Party Report: Inside Lenny Kravitz's Florida Room at the Delano Hotel
Once again we have our Miami Beach insider/party animal Gregg to thank for this inside scoop on the newly opened Florida Room inside The Delano Hotel. The lounge is the first official nightclub from musician Lenny Kravitz and was host to the Agent Provacateur Art Basel party last week. Enjoy.
I got to the side entrance of Delano Hotel (on 17th Street) at 10 pm and had to wait 15 minutes until they were ready to open and let people in. Security was real tight. But it was a pleasure waiting because Granville the doorman (imported from NYC) is super nice and polite. He will kill you with kindness no matter how rude you are to him.
The Florida Room is very 1950's Cuban-style lounge. Lenny Kravitz's design firm did a really nice job. The uniforms are old school. The bartenders wear green jackets and the cocktail waitress's wear a white blouse (showing cleavage) and a black high waisted skirt. They also had girls dressed in Agent Provocateur corsets with 1950's hairdos and make-up greeting you into The Florida Room's entrance.
Tags: Lenny Kravitz / Morgans Hotel Group / Art Basel / Hotel Nightclubs / Hotel Lounges / Hotel News / → All Tags
Lenny Kravitz: Officially a Hotel Lounge Designer
Some more Delano, Morgans Hotel Group and Art Basel news all rolled in one....
Morgans Hotel Group has officially announced the first hotel lounge from budding designer Lenny Kravitz inside the Delano Hotel.
Called the Florida Room, the lounge is a modern speakeasy in the hotel's basement with smoked bronze mirrored ceilings, Swarovski crystal chandeliers, and a lucite grand piano by Schimmel, a replica of the piano in Lenny's own home. And here's how he describes the place:
"My aunt had a place in her house where everyone played, hung out, listened to music and where all the fun was had, called the Florida room," said Lenny Kravitz. "We decided to create a space with this theme in mind but that also had the feeling of the old piano lounges in the resorts back in the 50's in Florida, Cuba and New York City. I love the rich musical history of Miami Beach. The Beatles, James Brown and Frank Sinatra all spent time here. We see the Delano as having this same kind of rich history and also took cues from this to envision the place I always wanted at the beach, but hasn't existed here in a long time."
Good thing we got this backstory otherwise we would think The Florida Room was a gigantic conference room in a big box hotel somewhere.
The lounge has been opened all this week for Art Basel parties including its own opening party on Monday night and the Agent Provocateur party which was held there last night.
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