The Dalmar, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
An Urban Design Hotel Above Florida’s Beach Scene
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A refreshing alternative to Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront resorts, bringing sophisticated urban design to the emerging Flagler Village neighborhood.
● Interiors by DesignAgency blend mid-century influences, tropical materials, and residential comfort into one cohesive lifestyle experience.
● Home to the city’s first rooftop bar and a spectacular sixth-floor pool deck that has become a destination for both locals and travelers.
Fort Lauderdale Looks Up
Most visitors experience Fort Lauderdale from the beach. The Dalmar asks you to see it differently. Rising 25 stories above Flagler Village, this 209-room hotel introduced an entirely new perspective on the city when it opened. Rather than competing with the coastline, The Dalmar embraces downtown’s creative energy, proving that Fort Lauderdale has evolved into much more than a seaside destination. Designed by SOL-ARCH with interiors by Toronto-based DesignAgency, the hotel feels confident, contemporary, and unmistakably urban.
Mid-Century Inspiration, Tropical Spirit
DesignAgency drew inspiration from California’s iconic Case Study Houses while embracing South Florida’s color, light, and relaxed lifestyle. The arrival experience begins on the sixth floor, where emerald quartzite walls, white terrazzo floors, tropical planting, sculptural breezeblocks, tambour wood, and large-scale mixed-media artwork by Canadian artist Thrush Holmes establish a residential atmosphere rather than a traditional hotel lobby. Rich textures, brass accents, polished plaster, stained glass, and soft pastel hues create interiors that feel simultaneously nostalgic and fresh. Every space balances warmth with sophistication.
A Calm Retreat Above the City
While the public spaces are bold and social, the guestrooms adopt a quieter language. Broad-plank timber flooring, pale woods, marble finishes, clean-lined mid-century furniture, and soft blue palettes create serene spaces inspired by the nearby ocean. Suites introduce warmer yellow tones alongside graphic palm-leaf headboards, reinforcing the dialogue between tropical surroundings and contemporary design. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame sweeping views of either downtown Fort Lauderdale or the Atlantic coastline beyond.
The Sixth Floor Playground
The heart of the hotel isn’t the lobby—it’s an entire lifestyle level suspended above the city. A spectacular 100-foot saline pool stretches across the outdoor terrace, surrounded by palms, daybeds, breezeblock screens, and indoor-outdoor lounges that blur the boundary between architecture and landscape. The atmosphere feels relaxed throughout the day while naturally evolving into one of the city’s liveliest social spaces after sunset. It’s less a hotel amenity than a destination in its own right.
Sparrow
Perched on the 25th floor, Sparrow became Fort Lauderdale’s first rooftop bar and remains one of its defining experiences. Moody velvet seating, rich jewel tones, dramatic lighting, and panoramic skyline views create an atmosphere that’s closer to Miami than traditional Fort Lauderdale. As daylight fades, cocktails, music, and city lights transform the rooftop into one of South Florida’s most memorable places for sunset. The views alone justify the elevator ride.
A Complete Culinary Destination
The Dalmar was designed to be experienced well beyond the guestroom. Rose’s Coffee Bar serves artisanal coffee and wine throughout the day, while Terrace Grill combines Mediterranean and coastal influences in a relaxed indoor-outdoor setting. Additional restaurants and bars create a varied culinary offering that attracts as many locals as overnight guests. It’s a hotel that actively participates in the life of its neighborhood.
Why It Works
The Dalmar successfully expands the identity of Fort Lauderdale beyond its beaches. By combining sophisticated architecture, mid-century influences, tropical warmth, and genuinely social public spaces, it delivers an urban lifestyle hotel that feels both distinctly Floridian and internationally contemporary. It’s proof that sometimes the best ocean views come from leaving the beach behind.
