Essex House   

1001 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-532-3537
www.essexhotel.com

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The Essex House, an imposing pink palace with a distinctly nautical feel, is an Art Deco landmark in Miami, easily recognized by its towering ESSEX sign. Built in 1938 and designed by legendary architect Henry Hohauser, the Essex captures the essence of nautical modern design. Modern updates make this hotel as comfortable as it is historically beautiful. The original artist restored the enormous mural of the Everglades in the hotels lobby. The unusual Art Deco fireplace below that mural is a real stunner. Rooms in the prow of the ship-shape building offer ship-like vistas through wide, curving windows made of remarkably soundproofing glass. The marble baths may maintain the look and feel of the original era, but they are new and white and ultra-modern. Nineteen spacious suites overlook a lush, tropical courtyard. Their dcor is minimalist, yet equally lush, echoing the bougainvillea colors of the courtyard beyond. Il Paradiso Day Spa is billed as a holistic celebration. Certainly its a grand way to incorporate peace and serenity into the throbbing beat of South Beach. Upscale value in the heart of South Beach is the Essex Houses motto and it delivers. Tracey E. Meloni