Delano Miami Beach
An Art Deco Icon Reimagined for a New Generation of South Beach
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● Elastic Architects carefully balance the Delano’s celebrated Philippe Starck legacy with the elegance of its original 1947 Art Deco architecture.
● The restoration revives one of Miami Beach’s defining hotels while introducing refined contemporary interiors, outstanding restaurants, and a stronger focus on wellness.
● Original architectural features, restored design icons, and an exceptional beachfront setting make this one of South Beach’s most significant hotel rebirths.
A South Beach Legend Returns
Few hotels have shaped Miami Beach quite like the Delano. When the hotel opened in 1947, it represented the glamour of post-war South Beach. In 1995, Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck transformed it once again, creating one of the defining lifestyle hotels of its generation. After a six-year restoration led by Elastic Architects, the Delano begins its third chapter. Rather than rewriting history, the project carefully builds upon it. The result feels timeless. Not nostalgic.
Restoring an Icon
Elastic Architects approached the renovation with remarkable restraint. Historic terrazzo floors, the original façade, the celebrated mezzanine bridge, light wells, hexagonal columns, gardens, and the famous Delano logo have all been restored. At the same time, the theatrical all-white interiors of the Starck years have softened into warm creams, natural stone, pale oak, sculptural furniture, and gently curved architectural forms. The familiar atmosphere remains. Only calmer. History is preserved without becoming a museum.
The Art of Contemporary Hospitality
The soaring lobby once again becomes the heart of the hotel. Billowing curtains, monumental columns, restored Murano chandeliers, carefully curated artworks by Miami-based artists, and generous seating areas encourage guests to linger long after check-in. Lenny Kravitz’s Lucite piano, botanical sculptures, contemporary ceramics, and paintings subtly reconnect the hotel with Miami’s creative community. Everything feels residential. Yet unmistakably grand.
Rooms Filled with Light
The 171 guestrooms and suites embrace a quieter form of luxury. Expansive windows, soft neutral palettes, light timber flooring, curved furniture, and tactile materials allow the Atlantic Ocean to remain the focal point. Poolside Bungalows offer private terraces only steps from the legendary swimming pool, while the expansive Penthouse Suites provide uninterrupted ocean views across South Beach. Comfort replaces spectacle. Without sacrificing elegance.
A New Social Heart
Dining once again defines the Delano experience. Paris Society brings two of its signature concepts to the United States with Gigi Rigolatto and Mimi Kakushi. Hugo Toro’s Italian interiors for Gigi combine carved timber, warm plaster, yellow Siena marble, and lush terraces overlooking the pool, while the fourth-floor Mimi Kakushi transports guests to 1920s Osaka through refined Japanese design and exceptional cocktails. The iconic Rose Bar also returns, beautifully restored beneath its Murano chandeliers, reaffirming its place as one of Miami Beach’s classic gathering places. The atmosphere feels sophisticated. But never exclusive.
Wellness Takes Centre Stage
Where late-night parties once defined the Delano, wellbeing now shapes its future. A new wellness concept, The Source by Delano, introduces spa experiences, group sauna rituals, yoga, fitness studios, and holistic programming that reflects today’s Miami. Around the restored swimming pool and private beach club, the pace remains lively, but noticeably more balanced than in previous decades. The Delano has grown up. Without losing its personality.
Why It Works
Delano Miami Beach succeeds because it understands that great hotels evolve without abandoning their identity. Elastic Architects have respected both the building’s 1947 Art Deco origins and Philippe Starck’s influential reinvention, creating a hotel that feels simultaneously historic and contemporary. With architecture, design, art, wellness, and hospitality working seamlessly together, the Delano once again sets the standard for South Beach.
