Hotel Victor South Beach

Miami Beach

Famous for its tropical climate, its torrid night life, its palm trees, turquoise water, elegant buildings and authentic neighborhoods, Miami attracts millions of visitors every year. Located on the Miami River, the city, like its inhabitants, is multicultural. It has, for a long time, welcomed immigrants from Latin America including Cuban refugees in 1959 followed by Haitians, Mexicans, Colombians and Argentines, and in recent years, it has adopted some of the customs, traditions and even the language of these communities. Today, Spanish is spoken as often as English.

The typical picture post card of Miami is of Miami Beach, created in 1913 when a bridge linked the bay to the land. It has since become a luxurious vacation city with the largest art deco quarter in the world. Located in the southern part of the city, South Beach or So-Be for the initiated, possesses all of the city’s well known clichés like sun tanned bimbos, muscle bound Latinos, long shiny limousines, art deco homes with pastel facades and trendy bars. At night, everyone is outdoors to enjoy the cooler evening temperatures. The easiest and most pleasant way to see and admire the quarter’s handsomest art deco buildings is to walk the length of Ocean Drive, with a must stop in front of the Versace mansion. Then, after a drink at the Delano or the Collins, a dinner on Lincoln Road is in order before heading for the Mansion, the mythical nightclub on Washington Avenue.

A glamorous hotel

Facing the sea, in the middle of South Beach, the city’s trendiest quarter, we find the glamorous former home of designer Gianni Versace, and adjacent to it, the Hotel Victor. Created in 1937 by L. Murray Dixon, the art deco master, the hotel is one of Ocean Drive’s most emblematic structures.

Purchased and renovated in 2005, it now consists of two buildings in the shape of a U which have kept their art deco nature intact. Redesigned by Jacques Garcia, it is now a little piece of French luxury with a tropical touch in heart of Miami Beach. The designer’s penchant for velvet, noble materials and gilded finishes is in perfect harmony with the Victor’s spirit.

The colors are varied and numerous. In the hall, contemporary green and violet furniture blend in excellently with the original mural painting of Earl Le Pan. The Venetian terrace is blue, and the neon lights illuminate the hotel at night in a shocking pink! In the entrance, the jellyfish lamps especially created for Jacques Garcia, immediately set the tone. There are jellyfish just about everywhere, in the halls, in the rooms, in the aquarium near the restaurant, and even the pearl fabrics which decorate the chairs recreate the undulating movement of these marine animals.

On the second floor, everything is very tropical, very very Miami. The same sumptuous furniture we see in the lobby is also found in the rooms. With precise attention to the slightest detail, we find prestigious fabrics in warm tones, Egyptian bedding and original maroon and red carpets. The height of luxury is the Victor suite, a penthouse with a 360 degree view of Miami Beach and its turquoise water. For a lively ambience, it’s best to be around the hotel’s swimming pool. Perched on the building’s rooftop terrace, guests can enjoy a drink while listening to the disc jockey’s clever mix of music. The next recommended stop is the filtered lighting of the Vix restaurant for dinner, where the chef proposes an imaginative “’Spice Route” menu accompanied by a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, while enjoying the view of the ocean.

In the public space, a Vibe Manager is on duty 24-7 to assure that everyone is at ease by changing the lighting and the music according to the desired mood.