Thompson Hotels announced the addition of Hotel Victor in Miami’s South Beach to its portfolio. Thompson Hotels will rebrand the historic hotel, as the Thompson Ocean Drive through a multi-million dollar renovation to both guest rooms and public spaces, to be completed in early 2012. Thompson Hotels management is effective immediately, introducing the group’s renowned sophistication and service and maintaining the landmark’s legacy as the most desirable hotel in South Beach.

Hotel Victor was originally opened in 1936, and underwent a major restoration by acclaimed designer, Jacques Garcia in 2004. The celebrated hotel located in the heart of Miami Beach’s famed Art Deco District features: 90 stylish guestrooms, most with ocean views; a stunning infinity pool; a 6,000 square foot (560 square metres) Spa V; the fine Northern Italian BICE Ristorante and BICE Café; three lounges and bars.

Art Deco Meets French-Moroccan Chic on Miami’s Lively Collins Avenue

Miami’s newest hotel, Dream South Beach – which enjoyed its official grand opening last friday – is the latest addition to South Beach’s iconic Collins Avenue, located in the heart of the city’s thriving nightlife and Art Deco Historic District. Situated directly behind the former Versace Mansion, the cosmopolitan-chic hotel offers 108 modern guestrooms, a restaurant by celebrated chef Geoffrey Zakarian, an intimate destination rooftop pool lounge with views of the Atlantic Ocean, and an accessory spa.

“We are excited to announce the opening of Dream South Beach, the latest offering by our portfolio of lifestyle properties around the globe,” said hotelier Vikram Chatwal, the founder of and visionary behind Vikram Chatwal Hotels, a premier hospitality company with properties in New York, Bangkok and Cochin (India). “With its accessible location and eclectic design, Dream South Beach marks a significant revitalization of the Dream brand in a destination renowned for its cultivated yet convivial denizens and travelers; an ideal fit for our brand, which seeks to capture the authentic spirit of each hotel’s locale.”

Architecture & Design

Spearheaded by design house Architropolis under the direction of Michael Czysz and interiors lead Kelly Ogden, Dream South Beach is evocative of Miami’s distinct atmosphere and history through its multi-million dollar renovation of two historic Art Deco hotels, the Palmer House and the Tudor Hotel. Originally designed in 1939 by top local architect L. Murray Dixon, each property captured South Beach’s then-nouveau spirit of beachside revelry. In merging the hotels into one cohesive entity, the goal of the Dream South Beach design team was to transport the glamorous mood of the properties to the present day, wherein the hotel will mark a new golden age of Miami sophistication as an alluring hideaway from the South Florida sun.

Décor elements include a number of unique art objects showcased throughout the hotel, including wonderful 3-D mixed media art by Austin-based artist Adam Morey; original artwork by artist Gamma featured throughout the Palmer House reception area, stairwells and guestrooms; and work by Chatwal’s friend, the artist Natalie Arias, in the Palmer House lobby and magnificent Penthouse Suite space. The design of the guestrooms and rooftop lounge, in particular, evoke a feeling of the late ’70s with a hint of poolside enchantment.

Historically serving as a buffer between the two former hotel buildings, the Central Courtyard now serves as the main entrance of Dream South Beach. The promenade is lined with wall fountains and the pathway is illuminated by a custom in-laid acrylic floor pattern under-lit with atmospheric mood lighting. Nestled among the bamboo grove and atop a lotus flower sits an 8-foot tall sculpture of Ganesha, the keeper of entrances, custom-designed for Dream South Beach by Las Vegas-based ceramic artist Miguel Rodríguez.

Now serving as Dream South Beach’s reception area is the historic Palmer House lobby, which is adorned with original keystone wainscoting as well as a keystone front desk dating back to 1939, when the original façade was erected. The Tudor Hotel lobby has been transformed into the hotel’s restaurant space, Tudor House, operated by Michelin-starred chef Geoffrey Zakarian. All public areas in the renovated hotel feature signature furniture and lighting fixtures, elements that assist in evoking a surrealistic “dream state” – a departure from the “mod”-tropical atmosphere typically afforded by the area’s hospitality offerings.

Guestrooms & Amenities

Designer Michael Czysz has completely breathed new life into the architecture of the original Palmer and Tudor buildings, bestowing the intimate spaces with the tranquility and cool of the dream world. Dream South Beach features 108 guestrooms including the resplendent Sun House Duplex Penthouse, two Duplex Sun Suites, and nine Junior Suites.

Upon entering a guestroom, intricately carved, modernized French-Moroccan doors are back-lit by cool blue light to create a mystifying jewel box effect. Through the doors guests will find the bed perfectly centered with prism accents and touches of blue and gold. While the doors serve an aesthetic purpose, they also create an intimate changing area that provides private access to the bathroom and shower.

No attention to detail has been spared as all rooms come fully equipped with oversized LCD TVs, Bluetooth-enabled smart phones, high-speed broadband Internet access and WiFi, iPod docking systems, 380-plus thread count Egyptian cotton duvets and sheets, waffle knit spa robes, Etro bath amenities, in-room safes and a fully stocked private bar. Guests can receive pre-loaded iPods and DVD players upon request and also have full access to the on-site accessory Ayurvedic spa as well as unlimited access to concierge services that include but are not limited to: dry cleaning service, same-day laundry, valet service, complimentary shopping services, daily maid/turndown service, and beachside services operated by The Boucher Brothers.

Restaurants & Lounges

Tudor House, presided over by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian – the renowned culinary name behind New York hot spots The Lambs Club and The National, cookbook author and top Food Network personality – occupies the ground floor corner space of what was the Tudor Hotel, keeping reverence for the building’s history and simultaneously reinventing it. The restaurant’s light, airy décor combines a unique perspective on modern design with accessibility that feels utterly Miami. The venue is adorned with stitched leather banquette seating and back-lit teak screen partitions, while the outdoor dining areas are furnished with striking teak benches, smoked glass dining tables and flowing floor-to-ceiling curtains. Inside, the bars – which once served as the check-in and concierge counters in the 1930s – highlight the original Art Deco aesthetic, skillfully marrying modern design with a storied history, a tactic that Zakarian champions and uses often to inform his restaurants and cooking.

Having opened the Delano’s Blue Door restaurant in the 1990s, Chef Zakarian is thrilled to be returning to Miami. With Mediterranean roots, classical French training and a true love for hot climates, the Tudor House concept has been at the top of Zakarian’s mind for years – an easy, effortless place to return to time and time again. Scheduled to open in June 2011, Tudor House will be a casual neighborhood beach café filled with the hospitality, details and modern American fare that make Zakarian’s restaurants shine. In addition to serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Tudor House will provide 24-hour room service and takeaway snacks and meals for the beach, located just one block away.

Perched atop the Tudor Hotel building, Highbar is Dream South Beach’s sleek ’70s-inspired rooftop lounge fitted with a custom infinity-edge pool and jaw-dropping views of the nearby Atlantic. Consistent with the hotel’s aesthetic, Highbar offers décor elements that evoke a Studio 54-meets-South Beach vibe, reminiscent of a time when Halston ruled the catwalk. Featuring a glossy color play of gold and white in glass tile and Lucite, Highbar is outfitted with low-slung seating and atmospheric lighting. Lush landscaping and private seating areas surround the roof, teak walls discretely encase flat screen TVs within two coveted cabanas, and an indoor air-conditioned bar services drinks and cocktails from morning to night. For the rooftop, Tudor House will offer a daytime menu of snacks and light poolside fare in addition to a savory evening menu geared towards enjoying cocktails, the fresh air and the views over South Beach.

Tudor House and Highbar are run by the premier operations firm Trust3 Hospitality, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, his wife and Marketing Director Margaret Zakarian.

Under Ian Schrager’s direction, the now-closed 12 story Seville Hotel in Miami Beach would become a luxury Marriott boutique property.

Ian Schrager, the celebrity hotelier who invigorated South Beach with his launch of the Delano Hotel 15 years ago, is coming back to the beach.

Through a partnership with Marriott, Schrager is set to turn the shuttered 12-story Seville Beach Hotel into a boutique property under the new Edition brand.

The new venture, confirmed Thursday by Marriott, is just the second announced U.S. location under the new brand. The first is scheduled to open this fall in Honolulu (see stylehotelsweb blog June 9, 2010)

Marriott spokesman John Wolf said the South Florida hotel, which sits on nearly three acres of beachfront property at 2901 Collins Ave., is expected to open in three years after significant renovations.

“Edition has tremendous growth potential and this hotel will be a flagship to showcase the brand,” said Marriott International CFO Carl Berquist in a conference call with investors.

Thursday’s announcement adds a new whiff of hip to the Beach scene, still basking in the glow of basketball star LeBron James’ decision last week to call the area home. And it comes at a time when few comparable projects are on the horizon.

Schrager left Miami Beach a few years ago with the sale of his interest in the Morgans Hotel Group.

In recent years, Schrager has focused on luxury residences and a hotel in New York City and on the creating the Edition brand, aimed at sophisticated travelers.

His return to the beach is being heralded as a renewal after a tough patch for South Beach hotels, with several high-profile properties stressed by the economy.

“The Delano has the vibe or whatever . . . and Schrager was the marketing genius behind it,” said Scott Brush, an independent hotel consultant based in Miami-Dade. “With him involved with this, I don’t think there’s any way that it won’t be successful.”

Some of Miami Beach’s hottest hotels, the W and the Gansevoort, are several blocks south of the Seville; the Fontainebleau Resort lies 15 blocks north. The action between is subdued.

“For locals, this was an area that you avoided,” said Peter Zalewski, a principal at real estate consultancy Condo Vultures. “Or if you drove through it, you went really fast.”

He wondered how easy it would be to translate a massive older resort into “boutique chicness,” but called Marriott a pioneer for moving into the area.

“This is a tremendous economic boost,” he said. “It’s going to fill in the gap between south of Fifth and the Fontainebleau. This is the piece that’s necessary to bridge.”

The 278,547-square-foot Seville, built in 1955, previously attempted a comeback. In 2005, developers announced plans to turn it into a condo and fractional ownership complex with the Ritz-Carlton name, despite three Ritz-Carlton properties already in the area. Marriott owns the Ritz-Carlton brand.

Part of the old property would have been knocked down to make room for two 21-story towers, but the project couldn’t get off the ground as lenders balked in an unfriendly credit market.

Marriott acquired the property recently in a $57.5 million short sale from owner 2901 Beach Ventures, a partnership between Lionstone Group — led by Alfredo Lowenstein — and Fortune International Management, records show. That’s nearly $10 million less than a foreclosure lawsuit that had been filed on the property, which has since been dismissed.

Marriott does not expect to be the property’s long-term owner, Berquist said Thursday in a conference call for investors.

Marriott owns few properties that bear its name, instead franchising or managing hotels for owners under long-term contracts.

Marriott’s portfolio includes the luxury brand Ritz-Carlton, the upscale JW Marriott, “quality” brands including Marriott and Renaissance and moderate hotels Courtyard by Marriott and Fairfield Inn by Marriott. In addition to Edition, it also recently created the Autograph Collection, currently featuring 10 hotels with an individualistic ambience.

Edition seeks to set itself apart by creating individualized hotels in busy markets that reflect the cultures of their surroundings with an emphasis on sophistication and service. Other planned Edition locations include Mexico City, Bangkok, Istanbul and Barcelona.

Schrager and Marriott announced the partnership three years ago. Initially, plans called for the South Beach Marriott at 161 Ocean Dr. to become an Edition, but that failed to materialize as the recession hit.

“We continue to explore other opportunities in the market, including the South Beach Marriott, but that project has been delayed due to market and other conditions,” Marriott spokesman John Wolf said.

Brush said he expects success from the hotel once it opens in a few years.

“It’ll be well into an economic recovery and there is very little opportunity for additional supply out on the beach,” he said.

Source: Miami Herald.