The Facebook description reads: ‘Warm white and pink tones for a celestial shower room’. But our favorite thing about this design and color scheme is the way it gives a nod to the classic Art Deco history of the hotel’s building and the entire South Beach area.

Peek into any original bathroom inside an historic South Beach apartment or hotel that still has its Deco bones and you’re going to see lots of pink-tiled bathrooms (many with black trim), along with mint-greens, purples and poppy citrus tones.

We love that Philippe Starck is going with color here–in contrast to the all-white wonder he created at Delano, right next door.

When a bathroom is this glam, you know the rest of the hotel has got to be a knock out. Hurry up, April, so we can find out for real…

[Photos: SLS Hotel South Beach on Facebook]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/2/93550/66475

Gallery: A Look at Lantao Kitchen

The restaurant is still new–which was obvious from our lack of dining companions. Never mind, the staff were friendly and free of any South Beach attitude.

We liked the colorful decor (it reminded us a little of the Viceroy Miami) and the novelty of the menu, which you can check out in our gallery.

We opted for a Rock Shrimp Po Boi, which had just the right amount of kick and came with devilishly salty French fries, and also shared the Charred Squid Salad (meh–although it was vastly improved with a dash of spicy fish sauce) and the Charred Fish Tacos, which were good even though the bun made it a bit starchy.

We’re keen to return and try more dishes–and break into the interesting beer list, which includes brews from China, Thailand, Japan and India.

We don’t often feel this encouraged by a first visit to a new Miami restaurant, which is great news for the Surfcomber. If they can woo locals as well as hotel guests, they’ll find themselves busy.

And when word gets out that you can have a yummy Asian lunch for two at around $36, we think that’s going to happen sooner rather than later.

[All photos: Rebecca Wallwork for HotelChatter]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/24/213652/886

Gansevoort Miami Beach Finally Drops The Gansevoort and is Now Known as The Perry

Where: 2377 Collins Ave [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139

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.

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/2/1/1365/76846

Gallery: The Kimpton Surfcomber Beefs Up its Decor

Confused by that PR gobbledegook? Take a spin through our gallery for a visual explanation of what the hell that really means.

So far, we’re fans of what’s happening here, even if some of the design is a little overdone for our taste. The breezy atmosphere part of the PR description is on the money, and we really want to check in so we can take advantage of that rad pool scene.

Come back soon and we’ll tell you what we ate at the hotel’s new Lantao Kitchen restaurant.

But start scoping out your dates immediately: The Surfcomber currently has Grand Opening rates starting around $260 a night, which makes this one of the best deals on South Beach.

[All photos: Rebecca Wallwork for HotelChatter]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/24/193126/167

The National Hotel Miami is Getting a Little Work Done

Where: 1677 Collins Ave [map], Miami Beach, FL, United States, 33139

** 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.

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/23/123329/956

Looking towards Ocean Drive and Lumus Park…

Another long-awaited addition at Breakwater is open now, too–Nine, the Italian restaurant in the lobby and on the terrace. The menu includes oysters, ceviche and crabcakes, a range of salads, pastas, steak and fish dishes. South Beach hardly needs another Italian restaurant, but we suppose they do good business, especially with the glam Euro tourists who like to stay here on Ocean, where sleep is an afterthought and tanning a priority.

Pool and pasta privileges do not come cheap, though–rooms at Breakwater start at $409 a night this weekend, and that’s with a 4-night minimum. Florida residents get it a little easier, with rates from $368 a night.

[Photos: Hotel Breakwater via Facebook]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/24/93313/8518

The breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are all posted on the Delano’s website, so you can start planning and salivating now. We’re liking the sound of truffle fries, the salami and cheese board, and the heirloom tomato salad (tomatoes are to die for here in South Florida.)

We’ve already heard whispers that the Branzino is pretty special and the Truffle Tagliatelle sounds indulgently delish, too, but it’s $46 at lunch and $58 at dinner, so we may have to wait for a special occasion to sample that. (!)

The cocktail menu seems fun, with drinks like the Bianca Bellini and Tuscan Sunset (Jack Daniels, blood orange puree, fresh lemon and ginger beer) sure to be a good Rx for too much sun, but they’re also on the high-roller side at $19 each.

Pharrell Williams kicked off Bianca’s celeb sighting cred, attending Jason Binn’s birthday recently, so we can only take that as an omen of the star-studded nights to come.

Bianca opens tomorrow, January 27, and will be open for breakfast from 711:30 a.m., lunch from 11:304, and dinner from 711:30 p.m. daily. Reservations are recommended.

The next Delano newcomer, Umi Sushi Sake Bar, will arrive in the former Blue Sea space in late February.

[Photos courtesy Delano]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/24/19649/9070

Needless to say, we indulged in this plate (see evidence above), but we passed over the oyster bar options in favor of the trofie pesto pasta dish ($17) and we couldn’t resist helping ourselves to some more cheese in the form of the burrata starter salad ($16.) If you’re not a cheese lover, don’t worry the menu is pretty expansive including pizzettes, fish sandwiches, salads and old standbys like cheeseburgers and fries.

But it is pricey. Our bill was a lot higher than we’d like to spend for a casual lunch (thanks to our multiple dishes and a couple of vodka drinks.) And we also noticed the tally included an 18 percent service charge. Yet unlike other hotels that implement this automatic fee, we thought the service at Dutch was rather attentive and pleasant.

The day we were there, the restaurant was quiet-ish but once we finished we stepped off the Dutch’s patio and were thick in the middle of the W South Beach pool scene. Bonus!

If you can’t afford to stay at the W South Beach, which is tough to do in high season at $700+ a night, visiting The Dutch may be the best alternative.

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/12/203315/691

The site of D-Wade’s bash. Perhaps it now needs a ‘No Parking’ sign?

Aside from the wheels, the party was headlined by a Common performance and filled with stars that included Usher, Gabrielle Union, T.I. and of course, Wade’s fellow Heat Kings, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

We’re not sure if the guests all crashed at the Setai, but with its starting rates of $855 a night, it’s a good bet. The lush, Asian-inspired hotel is the most expensive in South Beach, with star-worthy suites ranging from $1,300 to $30,000 a night.

[Photos: TMZ; The Setai]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/17/92125/1486

OK, so this is actually a condo building on the same land, but it’s all part of Faena’s master plan for U.S. expansion.

The rendering by star architects Foster and Partners shows revised plans for the 3201 Collins site that went before the notoriously tough Miami Beach Preservation Board back in October–and were approved. The hotel is on the left and the shiny new structure is the 19-story condo building.

Somehow, this whole switch-and-bait from Cipriani to Faena slipped right by us, in part because most news reports referred to the hotel to by its original name, the Saxony, and not Cipriani.

Exactly what Faena and his development partners have planned for the hotel is still to be revealed–although we do know that the Saxony building is being both restored and partially demolished. A Faena Group plaque is now on the door of the sales office at the construction site, and over at the Faena Group website, the project is referred to as the ‘Faena Saxony Hotel’.

Ciao, CiprianiHola, Faena?

As Alan Faena himself told The Miami Herald:

Miami is for us the door to get into the world … Miami is where all Argentineans, Brazilians, Mexicans love to go. In a way it is our house … Our dream is to do what we did here in Buenos Aires create something really special working with the best minds in the world.

[Rendering: Foster and Partners / Miami Herald]

Article source: http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2012/1/17/183747/675