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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).
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.
Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Openings / Hotel Rebrandings / Hotel Design / → All Tags
South Beach Gets Another Lord (And Another Chick For Your Hotel Room Wall)
Another day, another new South Beach hotel on the way. Let us introduce you to Lord Balfour, an improvement on the old Wave Hotel. His opening in 'winter 2012' will bring the number of hotel Lords in Miami to two. (What's up, Lords South Beach?)
As you can see from the shot of Balfour's room above, it will also bring more chicks on your hotel room wall to South Beach.
What is different about this hotel is that it's located down in the SoFi area--South of Fifth--which is mostly residential, aside from a few small hotels like this one, and the mostly under-the-radar South Beach Marriott and Hilton Bentley.
It's a great place to stay--you're just across from the beach (although we don't think there'd be any views of the water, as it's on the west side of Ocean and not very high)--and close to picturesque South Pointe Park.
Also, SoFi is home to many famous athletes. You know, if you're into that kind of thing.
James Hotels / Miami Hotel Mambo / Hotel Openings / 2012 Hotel Openings / Hotel News / → All Tags
Sit Tight, The James Miami Will Open at The End of 2012
It looks like us and Forbes.com had the same idea today--listing the hotels that we are most excited to see open in 2012.
While Forbes added five more hotels than we did and their list spanned the whole year while we just focused on the next few months, we did have two similar picks--W Paris and Conrad New York. But Forbes also dropped a little nugget of info regarding the upcoming James Royal Palm Hotel in Miami.
As you may recall, the James brand announced their plans for the old Royal Palm Hotel back in April. And now, according to the hotel website, renovations on the 255 Royal Palm Tower rooms, which started in August, have been completed. But the rest of the hotel will be under renovation until late 2012 when it will then reopen as The James.
Miami Hotel Mambo / New Year's Eve Hotels / Hotel Renovations / TripAdvisor / Menin Hotels / Hotel Cabanas / Hotel Design / → All Tags
A Look at Shelborne South Beach's Renovated Rooms
Hotel makeovers: fun when they're finished but hell in the meantime? That may have been the case for the Shelborne South Beach, but the hotel has almost finished its massive overhaul, with 50 of its guest rooms now renovated to look like this.
As one commenter pointed out last time we got an update, the hotel's TripAdvisor reviews have not been kind during the construction phase. Not having stayed at the hotel, we can't speak for the service, but we can say that if the photos of the new rooms and the poolside cabanas are true to life, then the new Shelborne is nothing if not pretty. If you want to book a room that pleases the eye, though, make sure you ask for a Premiere Room (above). These are the renovated rooms.
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