Sbe has revealed exclusive details behind SLS Hotel South Beach, which is being designed by creative icon Philippe Starck. The encore to the internationally acclaimed SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, the SLS Hotel South Beach creates a “dream world” by blending Latin, Asian, and contemporary and art deco influences with captivating precision.
The hotel is set to debut this month at the historic site of the former Ritz Plaza Hotel, an unrivaled beachfront location where Lincoln meets Collins; the property will rekindle the award-winning collaboration between sbe Founder, Chairman and CEO Sam Nazarian, Philippe Starck and James Beard Award-winning chef Jose Andres. However, joining the trinity of Nazarian, Starck and Andres is Lenny Kravitz and his team at Kravitz Design Incorporated (KDI), who will be designing the property’s penthouse suite and one of the ten pool bungalows.
Starck’s design for the hotel will feature a stunning surrealistic feel that he describes as the guest’s “journey into your own dream world.” There will be an expansive terrace reminiscent of the outdoor cafes of Paris and Lake Como that will evoke “a perfect evening during the heights of Portofino: French sophistication and Italian elegance.” Complementing an eclectic collection of furniture, which includes a red wheelbarrow bench, a faux tree trunk table and intricate iron-crafted pieces from Mexico are black and white Moroccan tiles. Starck’s ability to blend contrasting elements is showcased in the reception area of the hotel, which depicts a retro American summer camp; the reception desk will be fashioned from a distressed slab of wood, and the lighting will come from an antique wood kayak suspended from the ceiling, while vintage stills from camping trips long forgotten adorn the wall behind the reception area.
The Bar Centro stands adjacent to the lobby, offering cocktails and cuisine by Jose Andres, while The Bazaar’s main dining room by Jose Andres is an “out-of-focus memory of the charming dining room of your grandmother who loved art. Art was everything and everywhere. She loved only one color: acid yellow. And positioned everywhere on this acid yellow are paintings, photographs, book shelves and sculptures that recreate for you her rich and foolish sub-consciousness.”
Katsuya features Starck’s signature look from the locations in Southern California and Houston, while adding distinct elements like the two, twenty-foot tall images of a sharply-dressed, elderly Japanese man and a woman from the early 1940s to differentiate. The Dragon Lounge sits above Katsuya.
Hyde Beach was decorated by Starck using heavy uses of wood, a fireplace, vintage leather sofas and walls adorned with legendary Hawaiian surfers from the 1930s and 1940s. Guest rooms channel the ghost of the bedroom of Madame de Pompadour with bold uses of whites and pinks that reflect the sophistication of old french aristocracy. The furniture includes an oversized white sofa that showcases French detailing, giving the room a playful focal point.
White wooden tile flooring is paired with an abstract, old-world tapestry carpet that features subtle uses of pink and grey, while the bathrooms have been meticulously updated with a glass rain shower and clean white walls and flooring. The vanity is custom designed by Starck, with glass and mirrors brought to life by uses of pink.
With each of these details combined, SLS will undoubtedly become one of SoBe’s hautest hotels.
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