One of Miami Beach's most storied hotels is open again. The Delano, a 1947 art deco icon on Collins Avenue that closed during the pandemic in 2020, has reopened as Delano Miami Beach after a multi-year hiatus — and it's aiming to recapture the celebrity-soaked glamour that made it famous the first time around.
The hotel's history is pure South Beach. It hosted presidents and dignitaries in its early decades, then was reborn in the 1990s under Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck, the duo who helped invent the boutique hotel as we know it. Along the way it picked up a restaurant co-owned by Madonna and a nightclub from Lenny Kravitz. The new version — 171 rooms and suites plus two-story bungalows with direct pool access — leans into a chic, all-white-and-beige aesthetic that feels part gallery, part scene.
On a recent two-night stay, a partial ocean-view king suite delivered a proper living room, a hallway doubling as a curtained closet, and a bathroom stocked with Byredo products, though the ocean view itself was more of a sliver — book a true ocean-view room if water views matter to you. Built-in headboard controls handle the lights and blinds, and streaming works on the TVs. Expect to pay from around $600 a night in cash. There's also a wrinkle for points fans: it's an Accor property, so loyalty members can shave 40 euros off a stay per 2,000 points, and it's part of The Edit by Chase Travel for cardholder perks like daily breakfast and property credits.
The real draw might be the food. The hotel landed the first U.S. outposts of two heavyweight restaurants: Gigi Rigolatto, the Parisian Italian spot where the spaghetti limone e caviale with 30 grams of Oscietra caviar runs $135, and Mimi Kakushi, the Dubai favourite serving Japanese dishes like miso black cod, eel nigiri and a Hokkaido cheesecake with matcha. Mimi's Nara Nara martini ($38) is theatre in itself — gin chiselled tableside from a block of ice held at -4°F. Rose Bar pours fancy cocktails next to the lobby, and an Italian-style coffee cafe covers mornings.
Service was largely excellent, especially at the pool and beach, where attendants earned glowing praise — one awkward manager-bartender spat at Rose Bar notwithstanding. Overnight valet parking is $65, dogs and cats up to 50 pounds are welcome for a $250 fee, and a spa called The Source By Delano is slated to open later this year. The hotel sits about 12 miles from Miami International Airport, with cab or rideshare fares running $25-45.
Who is this for? Travellers who want the see-and-be-seen South Beach experience with genuine design chops and serious dining — not a quiet budget escape. Miami Beach has plenty of luxury hotels, but few come with this much history, and the new Delano does a convincing job of living up to it.
Review via The Points Guy
