The SLS Hotel South Beach, a follow-up to the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills, opened last month at the historic site of the former Ritz Plaza Hotel. Designed by Philippe Starck, the beachfront hotel—the first on the East Coast for sbe Hospitality—marks a return for sbe founder, chairman and CEO Sam Nazarian; Philippe Starck; and James Beard Award-winning Chef José Andrés.
The opening is cool enough, but we’re especially excited about the hotel’s penthouse suite and one of its 10 pool bungalows, which were designed by Lenny Kravitz (yes, that Lenny Kravitz) and his team at Kravitz Design Incorporated (KDI). As of press time, the suites had not yet opened and no photos were available (keep an eye on luxurytraveladvisor.com for pictures), but we got some inside info on what visitors can expect.
The Tower Penthouse (as the name might suggest) is situated on the top floor of the historic tower (great beach views, we hear) and has a big living room with a dining table and a grand bar centered in the room as well as an outdoor patio. The master suite has an in-room bathtub and Kravitz-designed wardrobes, as well as a large master bathroom.
The Bungalow Suite, on the other hand, is a bit more laid-back, with some subtle deco details. (Think cypress wood-paneled walls; stone floors in the living room and bedroom; white Thassos marble walls and glass mosaic floors in the master bath.) The suite also has a large balcony for views over South Beach and Hyde Beach, a dining room and a bar.
Technology is also an important part of the suite experience: Guests can use in-room iPads with customized application that arranges hotel services—think arranging wake-up calls, ordering room service or housekeeping, or anything else one used to have to pick up a phone to do.
The suites are available as of June 14. Reach out to Sales Manager Giselle Marrero ([email protected]; 786-393-2612) with any questions.