Acclaimed Architecture, Renowned Chefs and Sultry Nightlife Redefine the Allure of Miami Beach as the Resort Leads in a New Era MIAMI, May 12
MIAMI, May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- When it debuts this fall, Fontainebleau
Miami Beach will be poised to recapture its place among the world's most
celebrated resort playgrounds. Morris Lapidus' emblematic curvilinear
building, originally the subject of outrage by critics before being embraced
by the world's architects, designers and travelers alike, today defines Miami
Beach's often-exuberant architectural aesthetic. His once avant-garde building
is now an enduring architectural masterpiece, and perhaps more importantly,
his spirit now shapes a spectacular $1 billion rebirth. Lapidus once wrote "If
you create a stage and it is grand, everyone who enters will play their part."
Few would argue that the new Fontainebleau will succeed in offering a
pulse-quickening setting in which guests can make an unforgettable entrance.
Virtually every aspect of the 22-acre showplace will celebrate the architect's
flair for the theatrical.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080512/NYM042 )
"We are moving the resort into the future with a nod to its iconic past,"
said Jeffrey Soffer, Fontainebleau Resorts' Executive Chairman. "Fontainebleau
will be infused with the sexy, glamorous, ultramodern spirit of the
idiosyncratic original. With the help of a team of internationally-acclaimed
architects, designers and artists, we are harnessing the resort's storied
setting and striking architectural details to create a 21st century showplace
that will cater to a new generation of tastemakers."
Fronting the Atlantic Ocean, the new 1504-room resort's most
distinguishing features will include two new towers; 11 restaurants and
lounges; a 40,000-square-foot spa; and dramatic oceanfront poolscape featuring
a free-form pool shaped as a re-interpretation of Lapidus' signature bow-tie
design.
In re-envisioning the resort, its owners assembled a team of eight
international architects, designers and project managers to infuse the space
with a modern sense of style and sophistication. From its public spaces, lobby
and highly-stylized restaurants to its guest rooms, spa and pool, the resort
will sparkle with an intoxicating mix of old and new. In the process, the
original Lapidus buildings were stripped to steel studs and bare concrete in
order to entirely recreate guest rooms, public spaces and resort facilities.
Painstakingly, the design team preserved or recreated many of Lapidus'
historical design elements -- including the circular ceilings, bow-tie design
motifs and famed "Staircase to Nowhere."
Rooms and Suites with a View
The resort's two original towers, Chateau and Versailles, comprise 846
guest rooms. Complementing these legacy buildings are two new, luxury
all-suite towers -- the 37-floor Tresor and 18-floor Sorrento -- offering a
combined 658 junior, one- and two-bedroom suites. Stylishly residential, the
suites will feature fabrics, furnishings and finishes with an easy tropical
elegance. Ranging from 500 to 1,742-square-feet, the rooms will include flat
panel televisions; kitchenettes with mini-refrigerator, sink and microwave;
marble bathrooms with granite counters, oversized jetted tubs and roomy
walk-in showers. Spacious balconies will offer views of the Atlantic Ocean,
South Beach, Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami.
International Dining, Trend-Setting Nightlife
Fontainebleau Miami Beach will bring together noted chefs and designers to
create dining destinations that are both dramatic and extraordinarily diverse.
The resort's 11 restaurants and lounges will include three signature
restaurants by celebrated chefs Alfred Portale (chef and owner of perennial
New York favorite Gotham Bar and Grill), Scott Conant (formerly of L'Impero,
Alto and the soon-to-open Scarpetta in New York City) and the stateside debut
of Alan Yau's Hakkasan (Britain's only Michelin-rated Chinese restaurant.)
Designed by Jeffery Beers International, Gotham Steak will be a two-level
restaurant with indoor and al fresco dining. Portale's menu will expand beyond
modern American steakhouse fare to include fresh seafood, specialty cuts of
meat and 500+ wines from around the world. Design highlights will include a
brilliant chandelier of hand-blown glass, an open exposition kitchen and a
two-level, glass-enclosed wine cellar.
Conant will be at the helm of Sprezza, the resort's Italian restaurant.
His regional menu will feature clean, crisp flavors prepared in layers to
reflect the quality of locally-sourced ingredients. Celebrated for bringing
out exquisite flavor from simple ingredients, Conant will rely on Florida's
bounty of farm-fresh and organic produce to craft lunch and dinner menus of
surprising complexity. Located ocean and poolside, the David Collins-designed
restaurant will offer expansive outdoor wrap-around dining terrace.
Yau's award-winning Cantonese cuisine will be the focus of Hakkasan, the
resort's sleek and contemporary Chinese restaurant. The diverse menu of New
World wines and sake will complement Yau's classic fare. Designed by French
design firm Gilles & Boissier, the restaurant is located atop the fourth floor
and will afford guests stunning views of the beach.
Inspired by the Cote d'Azur, Fontainebleau will open La Cote, a chic,
two-level restaurant situated beach and poolside. At the bar, guests will find
fashionable cocktails and tapas-style snacks while the restaurant will serve
simple, flavorful cuisine of the South of France. Additional dining
experiences at Fontainebleau will include Vida, serving breakfast, lunch and
dinner; Glow pool bar; Bleau lobby bar and Fresh, offering on-the-go fare, as
well as in-room private dining. Overseeing the property's restaurants will be
Executive Chef Sean O'Connell, a Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong alum whose
culinary training includes top kitchen positions at the Bellagio (Las Vegas),
Legian Resort (Bali) and Banyan Tree Resort (Phuket, Thailand).
In an area known for its thriving nightlife, Fontainebleau Miami Beach
will have three dynamic nightlife venues: its marquee nightclub, LIV (the
Roman numeral for 54, symbolic of 1954, the year the original Fontainebleau
opened), which will be located in the former famed Tropigala lounge, dye
ultra-lounge, and Blade sushi bar and exclusive pool.
Picturesque Poolscape
Under the design direction of Jeffrey Beers and Lifescapes International,
Fontainebleau's new poolscape boasts "walls of water" intermingled with a
free-form pool. Guests can also relax by an exclusive European-style pool with
a sexy enclave surrounded by cabanas and sun loungers. Those with families can
spend the day in multiple small dipping pools and an interactive children's
waterscape play area. This renowned ocean-side focal point will remain as
glamorous as when James Bond and Goldfinger sat by the pool for a heated game
of gin rummy.
Tapping the Essential Element
The two-level Lapis spa at Fontainebleau, designed by Richardson Sadeki,
will harness the natural qualities of water to create a shared experience that
is both restorative and renewing. Mineral-rich water in many forms --
including mist, rain and steam -- will be used throughout the
40,000-square-foot spa that features 30 private treatment rooms as well as a
co-ed pool and lounge area.
Lapis will draw upon thermal therapies, the oldest spa treatments that
transfer energy from heated elements of earth, water and air. Merging these
age old techniques with the latest contemporary technology and design, Lapis
will provide guests with stress-relief, anti-aging and wellness solutions --
each a sensory experience designed to energize and rejuvenate.
Spa interiors, treatments and programs will be unexpectedly re-interpreted
creating an environment inspiring social engagement that is contemplative,
pure and sophisticated. A communal sanctuary, Lapis provides intimate moments
within a quiet collective.
Historical Highlights
With the dream of creating one of the world's most opulent and magnificent
resorts, innovative hotelier Ben Novack purchased the Harvey Firestone mansion
on Collins Avenue in 1952 for $2.3 million and appointed Morris Lapidus as the
project architect for a new hotel. Lapidus' plan was to create the largest
hotel in Miami Beach including 554 guest rooms in an 11-story gently curving
façade. Fontainebleau Hotel opened in late 1954 with an inaugural grand ball
attended by 1,600 people, including the mayor of Fontainebleau, France.
Through the 1950s and 1960s, Fontainebleau reigned as the top resort hotel
in Miami Beach. Every major entertainer stayed or performed at Fontainebleau,
including the Rat Pack, Elvis Presley, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Jackie Gleason,
Judy Garland, Milton Berle, Jerry Lewis, Marlene Dietrich, Debbie Reynolds and
many others.
A New Beginning
Now, with its grand opening in fall 2008, Fontainebleau will reclaim its
seat as a top U.S. destination, attracting today's more discerning global
traveler with its high-end resort experience, fine dining and nightlife
attractions, all providing a stage for visitors and guests alike.
About Fontainebleau Resorts, LLC
Fontainebleau Resorts, LLC, a privately-held Las Vegas based resort and
casino developer, was established in 2005 to create the "next generation" of
hotels and resorts around the world. In addition to renovating the legendary
Fontainebleau Miami Beach, the company is setting a new standard of resort in
Las Vegas with the creation of Fontainebleau Las Vegas (Fall 2009).
For information and to make a reservation visit www.fontainebleau.com.
Media Liaison:
Fontainebleau Media Inquiry Line: 212-445-8307
Fontainebleau@webershandwick.com
SOURCE Fontainebleau Resorts, LLC
