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Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel re-launched
Calcutta News.Net
Saturday 22nd November, 2008 (Gulf News)
For nearly 25 years, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel was so well known that no sign was necessary to identify it.
As Howard Karawan, chief operating officer of the hotel puts it, 'The Fontainebleau Hotel made Miami Beach'.
Karawan spoke to Gulf News exclusively on the sidelines of the hotel's star-studded relaunch last weekend, following a $375 million investment by Dubai-based Nakheel Hotels.
The hotel was bought in 1952 by hotelier Ben Novack, when it was the 'Firestone Mansion', home of tyre tycoon Harvy Firestone. When controversial architect Morris Lapidus was brought on board, the modernist setting that would become so famous began to take shape. The glamorous resort became synonymous with 1950s and 1960s glitz, and reflected the city of Miami in design, style and entertainment.
And as witnessed at last weekend's relaunch, with Victoria's Secret models such as Heidi Klum cutting the opening ribbon on the iconic 'Staircase to Nowhere', the architect's features have not only been maintained, but are still centrepieces to the structure. 'We kept true to the Lapidus design,' Karawan told Gulf News. 'The hotel is an historic landmark and protected by the US National Park Department so we replicated most of the building.'
The hotel played host to some of the most famous 1950s and 1960s celebrities, ranging from Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to Elvis Presley and Judy Garland. Its design has also been seen on the big screen numerous times in hit films such as Goldfinger and Scarface. Lapidus said himself in his autobiography that when building the hotel, he 'designed a movie set'.
As Karawan points out, 'Only three hotels in the world are so synonymous with their location - the Ritz in Paris, the Plaza in New York, and the Fontainebleau hotel in Miami.'
The newly re-launched hotel is hoping to become a hub for business travellers and centre for international events. 'We're poised to do tremendous international conventions,' said Karawan. 'We have 200,000 square feet of space and alot of beautiful outdoor space also.'
Indeed, a quick glance over the hotel's credentials shows promise to marry the glamour of its past with a practical and modern hub. With over 1,500 guest rooms and two all-suite towers, the capacity for guests is huge.
'Very few hotels have ballrooms with floor-to-ceiling windows overseeing the ocean,' Karawa explained. 'Miami beach is very special and puts us in a great position for international business.'
A unique feature the hotel's management hope will help stamp its credentials as a top centre for business internationally is the use of technology in the guestrooms.
Branded as the 'Paperless' hotel room, each guest has a personal iMac in their rooms. This guides them through the resort, allows them to order various services or book into restaurants, and also provides internet access.
'We are embracing technology,' said Karawan, pointing out how this will be of particular use to guests from the Middle East. 'Arab newspapers will be available online as the computers work as a great communications platform.'
Indeed, as you wander around the hotel, there is pleny of techology at your disposal - with digital guides rather than mere maps on the wall to direct you to wherever you wish to be.
Beyond business however, the hotel is first and foremost a social setting. As Lapidus saw it, he was 'selling a good time'. And this is where the resort really excells. The 11 restaurants and lounges promise a wide variety of of cuisine, from a Gotham Steak bar and grill to the esteemed Hakkasan Chinese restaurant (their England branch is the only Chinese restaurant in the country to hold a Michelin rating). The glamorous hotspots are LIV, a nightclub constantly referred to as 'chic', and Blade, the sushi bar next door.
The outdoor 'Poolscape' area provides 30 luxury cabanas for celebrities to take shade from prying eyes as much as the Florida sun, and the larger pool is a modern replica of Lapidus' signature bow-tie design. Once a guest has tired of all of the above, the Lapis spa offers 40,000 square feet of relaxing and beautifying treatment.
The re-launch of an iconic symbol of Miami glamour has been coupled with a demanding mission to maintain a chic aspect whilst providing a practical centre of excellence in international business. The facilities the resort has developed certainly promise both, but it is a hefty demand for any hotel to be everything to everyone. Howard Karawan doesn't seem too worried though: 'We have $40 million in business booked for next year, and we haven't even started the year yet.'
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