Tucked behind the former Versace mansion, Vikram Chatwal Hotels has opened Dream South Beach on Miami’s famed Collins Avenue. Spearheaded by design house Architropolis under the direction of Michael Czysz and interiors lead Kelly Ogden, Dream South Beach blends Art Deco and French-Moroccan touches through the multimillion-dollar renovation of two historic hotels, the Palmer House and the Tudor Hotel. The design team brought the properties’ glamorous history into the present through a variety of details.
Décor elements include a number of unique art objects showcased throughout the hotel, including 3-D mixed media art by Austin-based artist Adam Morey; original artwork by artist Gamma featured throughout the Palmer House reception area, stairwells, and guestrooms; and work by Chatwal’s friend, artist Natalie Arias, in the Palmer House lobby and Penthouse Suite.
Meanwhile, the Central Courtyard serves as the main entrance. The promenade is lined with wall fountains, while the pathway is illuminated by a custom in-laid acrylic floor pattern under-lit with mood lighting. Nestled among the bamboo grove and atop a lotus flower sits an 8-foot tall sculpture of Ganesha, the keeper of entrances, custom-designed for Dream South Beach by Las Vegas-based ceramic artist Miguel Rodríguez.
Now acting as Dream South Beach’s reception area is the historic Palmer House lobby, which is adorned with original keystone wainscoting, as well as a keystone front desk dating back to 1939, when the original façade was erected. The Tudor Hotel lobby has been transformed into the hotel’s restaurant space, Tudor House, operated by Geoffrey Zakarian. All public areas in the renovated hotel feature signature furniture and lighting fixtures designed to evoke a surrealistic “dream state.”
The hotel has 108 guestrooms, including the Sun House Duplex Penthouse, two Duplex Sun Suites, and nine Junior Suites. Intricately carved French-Moroccan doors are backlit by cool blue light to create a jewel box effect. Through the doors guests will find the bed surrounded by prism accents and touches of blue and gold. While the doors serve an aesthetic purpose, they also create an intimate changing area that provides private access to the bathroom and shower.
Tudor House restaurant from chef Geoffrey Zakarian occupies the ground floor corner space of what was the Tudor Hotel, keeping reverence for the building’s history and simultaneously reinventing it. The venue is adorned with stitched leather banquette seating and backlit teak screen partitions, while the outdoor dining areas are furnished with teak benches, smoked glass dining tables, and flowing floor-to-ceiling curtains. Inside, the bars-which once served as the check-in and concierge counters in the 1930s-highlight the original Art Deco aesthetic.
Perched atop the Tudor Hotel building, Highbar is Dream South Beach’s sleek 1970s-inspired rooftop lounge fitted with a custom infinity-edge pool and untold views of the nearby Atlantic. Highbar features décor elements that evoke a Studio 54-meets-South Beach vibe. Featuring a glossy color play of gold and white in glass tile and Lucite, the bar is outfitted with low-slung seating and atmospheric lighting. Lush landscaping and private seating areas surround the roof, teak walls discretely encase flatscreen TVs within two cabanas, and an indoor air-conditioned bar services drinks and cocktails from morning to night.
