Dating back to 1947, Delano is a hotel synonymous with Miami glamour, South Florida celebrity culture and striking art deco architecture. A playground for the rich and famous throughout its years, the original hotel hosted presidents and dignitaries before being reborn in the 1990s under the groundbreaking guidance of Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck. At one point, Delano was home to a restaurant co-owned by Madonna and a nightclub from Lenny Kravitz.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the hospitality industry in 2020, the famed Delano closed its doors.
Now, the hotel is back, this time simply dubbed Delano Miami Beach, and it’s as gorgeous and glamorous as ever after reopening this summer. Touted to “[honor] the legacy of its predecessor while redefining it for a new era,” it was clear from the get-go that the newest iteration of the legendary hotel had big shoes to fill.
So I went down to South Florida to check in and check it out myself. Here’s what it was like staying at Delano Miami Beach.
Know before you go
The vibe: Chic, airy and flat-out cool. The new Delano Miami Beach is both a living gallery and place to see and be seen.
The location: Situated on the iconic Collins Avenue in Miami Beach, the hotel is located in the heart of all the action.
Getting there: Delano Miami Beach is about 12 miles from Miami International Airport. Expect to pay between $25-45 for a cab or rideshare.
Parking: Overnight valet parking costs $65 per night.
Size:The hotel has 171 rooms and suites, multiple pools, beach access, a fitness center and a soon-to-open spa.
Food and drink:There are two popular restaurants, plus a buzzy lobby-adjacent bar, pool and beach service, and a cafe.
Pet policy:Dogs and cats up to 50 pounds are allowed to stay at Delano Miami Beach for a fee of $250.
The rooms
Delano Miami Beach offers rooms, suites and two-story bungalows with direct access to the pool. During my stay, I was placed in a partial ocean-view king suite that had a living room area, a hallway with closet space and beautiful bathroom and a large bedroom.
The very chic living room had a massive TV (with streaming capabilities); a well-stocked minibar with snacks, top-shelf liquors and Noam Beer (a German beer in a truly gorgeous bottle); and a coffee maker. There was also a lounge-style couch, an armchair and a small table with two chairs. From one small sliver of the window in the living room, I could see the ocean, but the view put the emphasis on “partial” in my partial ocean view. If you’re serious about having direct views of the water, be sure to book an ocean-view room.
The hallway served as both a corridor between rooms and a closet, thanks to a curtained-off area with plush robes, hangers, a luggage rack and other areas to organize clothes, luggage and everything else you might be carrying.
For a suite, the bathroom was compact, but the design was beautiful. Illuminated, abstract mirrors blended with a bold white dual vanity and a large soaking tub. The bathroom was stocked with Byredo Gypsy Water products and soft towels — and the shower’s water pressure was great.
The head-to-toe white and beige bedroom felt like sleeping in a cloud. In the headboard, a built-in switch controlled the lights and blinds, though I enjoyed the views of Collins Avenue’s iconic art deco building when the blinds were up. The room also had a large TV (once again, with streaming capabilities), reading lights built into the headboard and an armchair with a small table.
I really enjoyed the suite, especially the sleek design of the lamps and furniture. It was a great home-away-from-home for my two-night stay.
Dining and drinking
Delano Miami Beach’s food and drink scene was buzzing before it opened, thanks to the first U.S. outposts of famed restaurants Gigi Rigolatto and Mimi Kakushi.
Gigi Rigolatto
To put it bluntly: Gigi Rigolatto Miami is a scene in the best possible way. For my Friday night dinner, the restaurant was bustling and full of life. The famed Paris restaurant serving Italian dishes was also full of delicious flavors. For my meal, I started with fiori di zucchine, or fried zucchini flowers with ricotta and truffle ($38), which were lightly and beautifully fried, and could have served as meal itself. But, as multiple people told me, I couldn’t go to Gigi without trying the spaghetti limone e caviale, spaghetti with a lemon sauce and 30 grams of Oscietra caviar ($135). The pasta was rich, citrusy-sweet and balanced well with the salty caviar. The dish was plentiful enough for a small group of people, but let’s just say I was feeling selfish that night (and luckily, I was dining alone).
Mimi Kakushi
In Dubai, Mimi Kakushi has been a trendy staple of the restaurant scene since 2021. Now open in Miami, the restaurant serves a menu of Japanese dishes from fresh nigiri to gyoza, Wagyu steaks, miso black cod and everything in between. I could eat Japanese food for every meal, so I tried a nice sampling of my favorites: an earthy, bold miso soup with truffle ($12), perfectly crafted pieces of freshwater eel nigiri and tuna nigiri ($17 for two pieces, each) and black cod and tiger prawns gyoza with citrus miso ($28). The well-crafted, umami-packed miso set the bar high for the rest of the meal, and the nigiri was as light and fresh as I’ve had. In fact, I was tempted to order more nigiri, but after packing in all of the delicious gyoza, I decided to call it and appreciate the great meal I had.
But not without dessert! To end the meal, I tucked away a piece of Hokkaido cheesecake with strawberries and an earthy matcha sauce ($18). The subtle sweetness of the cheesecake was the perfect base for the rich matcha, and after I said I was done, I went back in for “just one more bite” multiple times.
As I told people I was heading to Mimi Kakushi, everyone I talked to insisted I order “the world’s coldest martini.” Well, I love martinis, so it was an obvious must. Dubbed the Nara Nara ($38), the martini consists of Botanist Gin being chiseled from a giant block of ice (kept at a freezing –4°F) tableside, making for a show as cool as the drink itself.
Rose bar
Adjacent to the lobby, Rose Bar is open nightly for drinks. The menu has an interesting cocktail menu with options like the Rose old fashioned with Macallan 12, banana, salted caramel and chocolate ($35) and the chamomile penicillin made with Johnnie Walker Black Label, chamomile, ginger, carrot, honey and Campari ($23).
Other options
Delano Miami Beach also has an Italian-style coffee shop with classic coffee drinks, upscale pours like an iced pistachio milk shakerato ($15), juices, pastries, breakfast items and fruit bowls. Various food menus from the different restaurants are also available for order at the pool and beach.
Amenities and service
Service throughout the hotel was near exceptional, and it seemed like most of the people working at Delano Miami Beach were truly happy to be there — and happy to assist. Especially at Rose Bar, the outdoor bar at Gigi and the pool. The only mishap I experienced was a manager berating a bartender about one foot in front of me, while I was the only person at the bar trying to listen to the live music. Luckily, the pool staff over the course of my stay made up for it, and I can’t thank Malou, Tania and Arian for their incredible hospitality.
- A pool with lounge chairs and cabanas (available for a fee)
- Direct beach access with lounge chairs and food-for-order from Gigi
- A state-of-the-art fitness center
- The Source By Delano spa (scheduled to open later in the year)
- The Nothing Finer shop offers a curated selection of lifestyle products, clothes and more for purchase
How to book Delano Miami Beach
Cash rates at Delano Miami Beach start around $600 per night. As an Accor property, members of its loyalty program can trade in multiples of 2,000 points for 40 euros (about $44) off a stay.
Delano Miami Beach also participates in The Edit by Chase Travel, allowing eligible cardholders to receive elite-like benefits like daily breakfast for two, property credits and more.
Accessibility
Delano Miami Beach has all the expected accessibility features travelers should anticipate in the United States, including dedicated accessible rooms and public spaces, and a pool with a lift.
As always, TPG recommends calling the hotel before booking to ensure they can meet your needs.
Bottom line
Miami Beach has no shortage of incredible luxury hotels, but few are as storied as Delano. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my two-night stay, and my only regret is that I couldn’t stay longer. From mouthwatering nigiri at Mimi to salty caviar at Gigi, and the best pool attendants I’ve ever encountered, the all-new Delano Miami Beach really brought back to life a true Miami legend.
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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Source: thepointsguy.com
