Déjà Vu: The Golden Age of Travel Still Exists in South Beach
There's no denying that Miami is a proud city with a lifestyle that thrives on showing off the best design, from clothes to cars and everything between. If you're heading to South Beach to soak up the sun in style, you can't do better than a stay on Ocean Drive for quick access to Miami's top sands, unending ocean views and breezes, and the best people watching in town. You'll find more than 100 hotels on this famous road, though, so choosing your vacay address isn't so simple.
If you're looking for the seamless combination of true Miami design heritage and modern comforts wrapped in a serious dose of la dolce vita as only Italy could offer, there's only one choice, though: the Pelican Hotel. Behind the glowing green entrance you'll find cinematic fantasy at every turn, grounded by the historic bones of one of Miami's founding fathers of Art Deco design, and an ambiance that's quintessential glam — from beds to bites to bar. Here's how to immerse yourself in Magic City's ever-evolving obsession with swoon-worthy style from check-in to chow down.
Timeless Elegance with Updated Convenience
Originally built in 1948, the Pelican was designed by Miami Deco legend Henry Hohauser toward the end of his illustrious career (if you've frequented the city's most famous drag venue, Palace Bar, you may have noticed another of his signature buildings, Congress Hotel, next door). The symmetry and neon exterior lighting that remain today are signature Deco elements that speak to Hohauser's era, as are the gleaming terrazzo floors spanning the entry level, but the interior design of Pelican Hotel's 32 guestrooms, suites, and penthouse comes by way of the Diesel Creative Team. Yes, that's Diesel denim, founded by fashion titan Renzo Rosso, who purchased the property in 1990.
Rosso invested in the hotel long before other luxury labels would step into the hospitality space (Versace opened a hotel in 2000, and Bulgari followed in 2001), and used the top floor as his personal landing pad while staying in Miami. He outfitted the rest of the rooms in a dreamscape of themes that span decades, fashions, and environments, filling them with both antique finds and custom commissions that enlivened his bold motifs.
Recently reopened in late 2022, every room was lovingly refreshed with painstaking refurbishment of the original pieces and eye-catching remodels of each updated bathroom, but the crowning achievement of this two-year process was the addition of new rooms and suites on the penthouse level, including a room entirely clad in denim. There are touches of humor throughout the themed spaces, but the overall vibe is decidedly more chic than cheek, thanks in no small part to the property's understated sensibility in service and style. While staff are friendly and fun, the focused service is elevated and elegant — stepping inside, you'll feel something like a glamorous Italian star escaping a crowd of fans after filming on a Fellini set.
Find Your Place
To fully understand the historic Pelican Hotel's place among both Miami's architecture and style histories, there are a couple of neighborhoods you should pay particular attention to while out exploring the town. The first is the Pelican's own Ocean Drive digs, and there's no better way to get started than with a visit to the Miami Design Preservation League, a two-minute walk up Ocean Drive along Muscle Beach (you're welcome). Step inside to the humble exhibition within for an overview of the city's Art Deco history, but absolutely opt for an Art Deco Walking Tour to learn what makes Miami's Deco design so distinct, and how the hotel fits into that illustrious story.
Despite its Deco prowess, though, Miami is certainly not mired in the design of decades past, and there's no quicker way to disabuse yourself of that worry than with a visit to the Miami Design District. Here you'll find everything that's contemporary and upcoming in Miami style from fashion and furniture to food and fun. There's an abundance to take in here, where the sparkle of this showy city really takes center stage, so consider a tour of this neighborhood as well, but you'll have no trouble immersing yourself in the creative culture of the area regardless.
Eat in Style
Don't leave the Design District without a visit to Contessa to dip back into your Old-World Italian getaway feels. Opulently outfitted by Major Food Group, the menu here is Northern Italian with a signature pizza menu as commanding as the craft cocktails, and a squash carpaccio that can't be ignored. Don't come underdressed—you'll want to snap pics in this environment that's as delicious to the eyes as it is to the tongue. Though it's about a half hour drive from the hotel, your journey into the sophisticated style of European yesteryear in Miami wouldn't be complete without a trip to Dirty French. Each room of this sprawling steakhouse is dripping in over-the-top design on every surface, and even the service is styled to transport you to the elegance of a bygone time when dressing for dinner, and even an airplane, was a given. Wherever your table, don't leave here without strolling each room to revel in the sights, and that includes the restrooms. Shellfish towers, caviar service, and tomahawk steaks are fan favorites, but don't sleep on thoughtful starters like mushroom millefeuille with sweet corn and yellow curry before the main event.
Before checking out of the Pelican Hotel, be sure to take a meal or two at Pelican Café. By day it offers a casual concept of easy dining and an al fresco breakfast with a Pelican bloody Mary is the perfect day-launcher with people watching on Ocean Drive, which recently converted to one-way traffic here, offering more space for bikes and pedestrians. In the evening, the exciting menu from chef Wendy Cacciatori reinvents traditional plates from Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, boasting treats like squash blossoms tempura, saffron risotto with red shrimp carpaccio, and a deceptively simple pasta pomodoro with 16-month aged Parmigiano that shouldn't be overlooked. The menu is as cinematic as the rest of the hotel, and no dinner here is complete without an order of La Ruota, a golden ferris wheel of bite-size desserts to accompany your digestivo. It doesn't get more modern-Miami-meets-golden-age-Europe than this.