Electra America Hospitality Group Acquires The Conrad Miami Hotel In Brickell Arch Tower

Electra America Hospitality Group (EAHG), a joint venture between Electra America and AKA, has acquired the Conrad Miami hotel in Brickell for $75.33 million. The seller was AG-M Miami Hotel Owner LLC, a JV partnership between the Miami-based Mast Capital and the New York-based Angelo Gordon. The transaction was funded with a $58 million loan from OWS BCA Funding LLC. Andrew Dickey, Gregory Rumpel and Maciej Polek of JLL represented the seller in the transaction.

The Conrad Miami hotel is located in the Brickell Arch Tower, an iconic, 36-story mixed-use tower on Brickell Avenue in the heart of Miami’s financial district. The hotel includes 201 guestrooms, an 11-story atrium, a sky lobby, a fitness and spa facility, a rooftop swimming pool, event venues including, ballroom, small meetings and pre-function spaces. The hotel will be converted to “Hotel AKA Brickell,” immediately following acquisition, offering a mix of short-term and extended-stay lodging options catering to the upscale leisure and corporate traveler.

This marks EAHG’s third hotel acquisition since the joint ventured launched in early 2021 with the intent to acquire and reposition underperforming hotels in gateway cities. EAHG also recently acquired a 194-room hotel in New York City and another 178-room hotel in Old Town Alexandria in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It also marks AKA’s entry into the robust Miami market. AKA, which specializes in accommodations designed for longer stays with exceptional business, wellness, and lifestyle amenities in well-known neighborhoods, operates 14 properties in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and London.

“In our initial six months, EAHG has been extremely active and all right down the fairway of our business plan,” said Russ Urban, CEO of EAHG. “All are in extremely high growth gateway markets with a balance of transient and corporate business not reliant on the lagging group segment. In addition to the already recovered leisure market, the acquisition of the Brickell Miami property is particularly exciting because of the recent tsunami of corporate relocations to Miami. Dozens of high-profile technology firms and financial institutions from New York and internationally have announced plans to open offices in Miami’s downtown and Brickell neighborhoods. Now, more than ever, we are confident that corporate and business-related travel will return strong and that high-end, multi-night stay properties in Miami’s urban core will be in high demand.”

“We’ve always envisioned AKA in Miami, a market that is globally appealing, vibrant and filled with opportunity,” said Larry Korman, President of AKA and co-CEO of Korman Communities. “Finding the perfect property is always a journey, and we knew we found a gem in this architecturally significant and well-located high-rise offering. The breadth of design, culture and energy adds great synergy with the DNA of AKA, and we are beyond thrilled to introduce the AKA brand to Brickell Miami.”

EAHG intends to invest roughly $11 million in additional renovations to the property. The joint venture plans to remain active in pursuing other hotel opportunities in Miami, New York and Washington D.C., as well as in cities including Los Angeles and London.

Located at 1395 Brickell Avenue, Hotel AKA Brickell Miami is located in Brickell submarket, the city’s leading office market anchored by primarily financial, marketing and technology and travel sectors throughout the US, Europe and Central and South America. Microsoft, Silicon Valley Bank and CI Financial are among the companies that recently announced new offices in Brickell.

E11EVEN Partners And PMG Launch E11EVEN Residences Beyond And Break Ground On E11EVEN Hotel & Residences

After the fastest sell-out of a luxury condo building in Downtown Miami, E11EVEN Partners and PMG have announced they are launching their second phase, E11EVEN Residences Beyond and simultaneously broke ground on E11EVEN Hotel & Residences in Downtown Miami’s Park West district. The project launched due to an unprecedented demand in the marketplace following the sellout of phase one. Rising 65 stories, E11EVEN Residences Beyond offers a highly exclusive, "members only" experience designed to cater to high profile buyers who seek the VIP, entertainment-driven lifestyle of E11EVEN Hotel & Residences and the privacy of a private condominium. Units range from 318-square-foot studios to 993-square-foot two-bedrooms, as well as a presidential collection ranging from 1,167 to 2,762 square feet and penthouses starting at 2,213 square feet, totaling 461 luxury residences.

Designed by Sieger Suarez Architects, E11EVEN Residences Beyond boasts private amenities available only to residents in the tower. They include a helipad, a resort-like sun lounge deck with 93-foot pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center and fully staffed executive office suites. E11EVEN Residences Beyond buyers will also have access to the first tower’s amenities, including the Chopra Spa & Studio, day club, beach club, gourmet food hall, and sports lounge. A private, access-controlled walkway bridge will provide residents direct entry. Owners will also enjoy exclusive access to E11EVEN Residences Beyond Members Social Club.

Starting in the mid $300,000, or the equivalent cryptocurrency rate, all interiors and residences are fully furnished and finished by award-winning design firm AvroKO. Each features custom imported ITALKRAFT millwork and cabinetry, including fully-integrated kitchens and bathrooms with custom countertops and backsplashes and fully built-out closets in the master bedrooms featuring all shelving and drawers pre-installed for absolute convenience. Subzero and Wolf appliances and finishes and flooring selections curated by AvroKO ensure that each residence offers supreme form and function. PMG's smart home technology system will offer unprecedented efficiency through seamless personalization with the touch of a button that includes integrated audio, video and lighting systems.

Penthouse and presidential collection residences feature expansive outdoor terraces with top-level audio systems, towering 8-foot interior doors, upgraded custom ITALKRAFT kitchens with marble countertops and Sub-Zero wine storage, a midnight bar in each master suite, motorized roller shades, and expansive views of the Miami skyline, Biscayne Bay and Atlantic Ocean. Owners of these exclusive units enjoy access to the building through a private lobby entrance.

Taking luxury and style to even greater heights, the penthouses feature fully finished & custom interior layouts to be selected under one-on-one consultation with PMG’s in-house interior architectural design team and include marble flooring throughout the interiors and floor-to-ceiling impact-resistant windows.

PMG Residential is the sales team for the project, led by Raquel Kaufman alongside team members Pablo Rodriguez, Reiner Perez, Adam Freeman, Liza Hernandez and Lauren Negrin.

Since launching in February, E11EVEN Hotel & Residences Miami has garnered both domestic and international interest, including countless celebrity, athlete and executive buyers including high-profile cryptocurrency executives. WNBA player Candace Parker, ESPN co-host Sage Steele and MMA fighter Luke Rockhold are just a few of the high-profile buyers the luxury development has attracted.

The first phase of the project comprises 375 turnkey residences. Each unit comes equipped with fully-integrated “smart building” features and 24/11-style amenities, including celebrity-chef dining experiences throughout the property, a casino-style sports lounge, an E11EVEN Members rooftop experience, and a world-class Chopra Spa & Studio wellness center curated by Dr. Deepak Chopra. E11EVEN Hotel & Residences Miami is a lifestyle experience and destination, the first of its kind in the United States. Completion is expected for the first tower in 2023.

The groundbreaking of the first phase of E11EVEN Hotel & Residences Miami took place on November 11, the date reflecting 11/11, and included city officials, purchasers at E11EVEN Hotel & Residences, Miami real estate industry bigwigs, VIP brokers, celebrities, a celebrity performance and the surprise announcement of the launch of E11EVEN Residences Beyond.

E11EVEN Partners is led by Michael Simkins, Marc Roberts, and Dennis DeGori, who own the neighboring E11EVEN Nightclub. PMG is led by Managing Partners Ryan Shear and Kevin Maloney.

E11EVEN Hotel & Residences and E11EVEN Residences Beyond are two of the first pre-construction condos to accept cryptocurrency as a deposit through a first-time-ever real estate partnership with FTX, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange.

E11EVEN Hotel & Residences is located at 29 NE 11th Street and E11EVEN Residences Beyond will be located on the same block at 90 NE 11th Street.

For more information about E11EVEN Residences Beyond or E11EVEN Hotel & Residences, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Plans for Okan Tower Featuring Five-Star Hilton Hotel & Resort Fast Tracked on Heels of Border Reopening

On the heels of the U.S. border reopening to international travelers yesterday and preparing for the influx of overseas buyers anticipated to return to Miami, Okan Group announced that it has relaunched sales for Okan Tower, a 70-story mixed-use tower located at the epicenter of Miami’s urban core. Having put the project on pause in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions and quarantines on international travel, the world-class development team has turbo-charged their plans and reimagined Okan Tower with the introduction of new floor plans, ten new lofts and an exciting all-weather, glass-enclosed rooftop deck and observatory at the pinnacle of the tower.

The 70-story architectural masterpiece will be anchored by Hilton Hotels & Resorts and features an all-star roster of design, development and co-branding partners, including Okan Development, internationally-renowned architecture firm Behar Font Architects, and Fortune Development Sales. Okan Tower is located in the epicenter of Miami’s urban core at 555 North Miami Avenue. The mixed-use tower will be a monument of the future as Downtown Miami has been reinvigorated by the allure of an ultimate live-work-play destination. The influx of corporate relocations to downtown, Florida’s favorable tax benefits, addition of the flourishing Miami Worldcenter, and the coexistence of new dining, hip shops, and entertainment venues such as the Frost Museum, PAMM, Adrienne Arsht Center and FTX Arena has created an urban utopia desired internationally.

Uniting a diverse collection of mixed-use elements in one vertical destination, the project will present 163 Sky Residences with exclusive owners-only amenities, 236 Condo-Hotel Residences, a five-star Hilton Hotel & Resort with endless amenity and entertainment areas, and Class A Office Space all accessible by separate elevators for Sky Residence owners and Condo-Hotel owners and hotel guests.

“Okan Tower will further position Miami’s reputation as a global design and architectural destination. With its distinctive ultra-modern aesthetic, Okan Tower brings Miami into the international design spotlight once again, while also offering every imaginable amenity and service desired – if not demanded – by the world’s most sophisticated prime property buyers,” said international property magnate and developer of Okan Tower, Bekir Okan, Chairman of Okan Group.

Having put the project on pause in the wake of COVID-19 restrictions and quarantines on international travel, Okan added, “Now, with international travelers and buyers back in Miami, our development team has worked closely with our exclusive sales and marketing brokerage, Fortune Development Sales, to turbo-charge our plans and reimagine Okan Tower with the introduction of new floor plans, ten new lofts and an exciting all-weather, glass-enclosed rooftop deck and observatory at the pinnacle of the tower.”

“Okan Group has assembled a world-class team and we are very happy to be a part of this project by leading sales and marketing efforts. Okan Tower offers a superlative lifestyle with its best-in-class architecture, amenities, services and convenience in one setting,” said Edgardo Defortuna, founder and CEO of Fortune International Group. “We are excited to take the project straight to contract because the developer is ready to move construction forward.”

Okan Tower has been designed by internationally renowned architecture firm Behar Font & Partners who’ve given it a striking curvature façade inspired by the Turkish national flower, the tulip. Equally appealing to both local and global buyers, Okan Tower residences are ideally suited to meet a variety of residential needs. The project’s Condo-Hotel Residences, starting on the 36th floor, will be delivered turn-key, ready for occupancy and sized from studios to two-bedrooms (and from 445 to 1,250 square feet). The Sky Residences, beginning on the 51st floor, will include finished condominiums ranging from one to three-bedrooms, plus a den – with floor plans spanning 695 to more than 2,075 square feet. Two floors of duplex-style penthouses will feature expansive layouts – all sized from 1,875 to more than 2,040 square feet.

A broad amenities package is tailored specifically to Okan Tower Sky Residence buyers and includes a ground floor arrival entrance with dedicated 24-hour reception and concierge, a 70th floor rooftop pool and sky deck with private cabanas featuring panoramic bay and city views, and an additional 12th floor lap pool with clubroom and indoor and outdoor lounges. Sky Residence buyers will also have access to a state-of-the-art health and fitness center with a yoga studio, Peloton® bikes and interactive fitness MIRROR®, as well as a dedicated wellness spa with sauna, steam and treatment rooms. A fully-equipped children’s sensory and play room, cutting-edge technology theater, and wine cellar and owner’s lounge are some of the other exceptional features available that add to the range of the lifestyle amenities on offer to Sky Residence owners.

Among the many signature elements that enhance the experience of being a Condo-Hotel owner or hotel guest at Okan Tower includes a dedicated 29th floor arrival lobby with a 24-hour reception and concierge, as well as reserved access to the hotel’s three amenity levels located on the 27th, 28th and 30th floors. These dedicated floors feature a superior range of leisure, entertainment and business amenities and services including a state-of-the-art fitness center and training facility, an outdoor pool with indoor and outdoor lounges and private cabanas, and a signature wellness spa featuring restorative Turkish treatments and a marble Hamman. A professional chef-styled gastro-kitchen plus grab-and-go-café, multiple bars, conference and meeting rooms, and over 4,500 square feet of ballroom space, complete with a full catering and kitchen facility, round-out the first-in-class amenities available.

Both Sky Residence and Condo-Hotel owners will receive access to premier services such as in-room private dining, in-room spa treatments, professional housekeeping services, on-site laundry and dry cleaning, personal trainers and fitness specialists, and lifestyle concierges presented by Hilton Hotel & Residences.

Okan Tower’s Miami sales gallery is now open at 542 North Miami Avenue. Pricing starts from $387,000 for the Condo-Hotel Residences and $587,000 for the Sky Residences.

Sky Residence

Condo-Hotel Unit

Images via Okan Tower

For more information about Okan Tower, private showings or purchasing/ leasing information please fill out the form below:

Finvarb Group Acquires The Landon Bay Harbor Hotel For $10 Million

Finvarb Group, led by Ronny Finvarb, has acquired The Landon Bay Harbor Hotel for $10 million, roughly $219,000 per key. The seller was BHI Hotel who acquired the property in 2007 for $3.9 million. The property was listed with David Cohen and Arthur Porosoff with Compass as well as David Greenberg with Marcus & Millichap. The Landon was built in 1946, renovated in 2010, and is located at 9650 East Bay Harbor Drive. The boutique hotel features 46-keys and spans 22,729 SF. The Landon is also home to The Palm Miami.

The hotel market in Miami has been extremely hot over the past several months. Swire Properties recently sold the 352-key East Hotel in Brickell City Centre for $174 million; Victory Investments Group acquired the art deco Hotel Astor on Miami Beach for $12.75 million; the Brazil-based real estate development firm JHSF acquired the COMO Metropolitan Miami Beach hotel for $70 million; Electra America Hospitality Group (EAHG), a joint venture between Electra America and AKA, acquired the Conrad Miami hotel for over $100 million; and AMS Hospitality, a joint venture between The Allen Morris Company and Black Salmon, acquired the 97-key Circa 39 Hotel in Miami Beach for $25.5 million.

The Finvarb Group is a real estate development and investment company specializing in developing quality mixed-use hotels in premium urban locations and in emerging and underserved markets throughout the United States. The Finvarb Group owns, develops and invests in areas with strong demand growth and which appeal to both business and leisure travelers alike. The Finvarb Group's hotels are linked by a common thread of excellence, distinctiveness and a passionate commitment to deliver outstanding quality. Finvarb Group recently developed and owns The Kimpton Palomar South Beach and recently broke ground on The Thompson South Beach.

PROFILE Exclusive Podcast Season 1 Episode 8 Featuring Ronny Finvarb of Finvarb Group

Season 1 Episode 8 of the PROFILE Exclusive Podcast by PROFILEmiami features Ronny Finvarb of Finvarb Group. Ronny Finvarb is Principal of the Finvarb Group, a real estate development and investment company specializing in developing and owning award-winning hospitality projects including mixed-use hotels in premium urban locations and in emerging and underserved markets throughout the United States. The Finvarb Group portfolio includes multiple Marriott-branded hotels in Florida, Texas and Arizona.

Ronny recently developed the Kimpton Palomar South Beach which serves as a gateway to Miami’s Sunset Harbor neighborhood and is home to Osteria Morini which just won “Best Italian Restaurant” and “Best Brunch” in Miami. Ronny also just broke ground on the highly-anticipated Thompson South Beach.

Ronny holds B.B.A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Miami and is a member of The Florida Bar. He previously served as Executive Director of Business & Legal Affairs for two publicly-traded companies, including a division of General Electric (NYSE: GE), and also for one of the largest privately-held media, entertainment, telecommunications, technology and consumer products organizations in the world, the Cisneros Group. Ronny is also an active member of YPO, the premier leadership organization of chief executives in the world as well as is a member of the University of Miami Master of Real Estate Development and Urbanism (MRED+U) Advisory Board.

The PROFILE Exclusive Podcast by PROFILEmiami, the leader in South Florida residential and commercial real estate news and content, profiles and gets intimate with the movers and shakers in the South Florida real estate industry. Throughout the series we will interview and get inside the minds of South Florida's top developers, investors, brokers, architects, designers, etc. The PROFILE Exclusive Podcast is hosted by Demetri Demascus Co-Founder of PROFILEmiami and Director of Business Development at private equity group Galium Capital as well as Katya Demina, Co-Founder of PROFILEmiami and Development Associate at development firm Royal Palm Companies.

This Podcast is Presented By:

Miami Design District Appoints New Director of Personal Shopping for the Neighborhood’s Exclusive Shopping Concierge Service, Styled by MDD

The Miami Design District, Miami’s premier luxury shopping Mecca, dedicated to innovative fashion, design, art, culture, architecture and dining, has tapped seasoned fashion maven and celebrity stylist Danielle Merollo to lead the neighborhood’s emblematic personalized shopping and style curating service, Styled by MDD. Styled by MDD is an exceptionally novel luxury concierge program that offers clients an extensive range of complimentary resources from wardrobe consultations and contactless virtual styling, to white glove at-home delivery services and customized gifting assistance.

Adding a compelling new chapter of distinct luxury services to the area, Styled by MDD was originally brought to life in 2019 by Dani de Cespedes, Miami Design District’s dedicated Personal Shopper and Stylist. Characterized by its impressive reach into all avenues within the world of luxury, Styled by MDD offers impeccably tailored, one-on-one experiences with complimentary styling consultations, a dedicated shopping suite with services spanning closet curating, alterations, delivery within the U.S., suitcase packing, and more. Miami Design District, home to the most globally-recognized and influential brands, devised the program alongside Dani de Cespedes to support its array of over 120 luxury boutiques, shoppers, and guests with its specialized clienteling services, providing an exclusive one stop direct connection to access all the stores have to offer. Bringing over 30 years of experience and knowledge into the neighborhood, Merollo now joins the Miami Design District with plans to refine Styled by MDD to even greater heights. 

“I couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity to call the Miami Design District my new home-base and to support expanding this already remarkable program in some really unique new ways,” says Danielle Morello. “I’ve watched this neighborhood grow so much, from afar, over the last eight years, which has only motivated my own efforts in personalized fashion and styling further. Coming from New York and witnessing the influx of New Yorkers making Miami their new home as well, I’m looking forward to being able to accommodate new clientele and to be a part of all the profound developments happening within the neighborhood as Miami itself is becoming a true epicenter for fashion, culture and opportunity.” 

Merollo has over 30 years of experience as an accomplished stylist that has forged the reputation she has today. Beginning her career at Manhattan’s Saks Fifth Avenue, she acquired over 13 years of highly-valued experience before joining Americana Manhasset as the luxury center's sole personal shopper. Working under the mentorship of esteemed real estate developer and philanthropist Frank Castagna, Merollo developed the department into a full-service experience, leading a team of three additional personal shoppers, four assistants and two seamstresses. Danielle and her team supported over 60 of the world’s most impressive brands and provided impeccable service to hundreds of personal shopping clients. Danielle also helped spearhead top-tier events in partnership with stores and charitable organizations, developing genuine long-lasting relationships with a plethora of celebrity clientele, which she plans on bringing to the Miami Design District. 

By Katya Demina

City of Miami Beach Approves Ocean Terrace Redevelopment Plan Along North Beach Beachfront

The City of Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board has approved the Ocean Terrace Holdings (OTH) redevelopment plan and Ocean Terrace streetscape masterplan. Led by OTH principals Sandor Scher and Alex Blavatnik, the redevelopment plan includes a 20-story, 75-unit residential building, new restaurant and retail options, and a 127-room hotel that incorporates the carefully renovated and unified historic Broadmoor and Ocean Surf properties. Following years of community outreach and negotiations with the City, the approval of OTH’s redevelopment plan will revitalize this underutilized area in North Beach along Collins Avenue, between 74th and 75th Street.

“The approved plan for Ocean Terrace is more economically viable, will attract a world-class hotel operator, and will incorporate a beautifully-designed oceanfront greenspace for the entire community to enjoy,” said Sandor Scher, principal of Ocean Terrace Holdings, LLC. “We look forward to getting to work on our long-awaited project, which will restore the street-level historic architecture, transform Ocean Terrace into a lushly-landscaped oasis and give new life to this cherished beachfront.”

The approved plan includes a few recently added enhancements that will elevate the project’s hotel and residential components. To help attract a world-class hotel flag to the project, the plan adds a new hotel building with 72 rooms that will be built within previously approved height restrictions. The hotel will be managed as one operation with the historic Broadmoor and Ocean Surf hotel buildings. The hotel will include restaurants, bar, meeting rooms, fitness, spa, outdoor pool and deck, rooftop lounge, and on-site parking.

With an historically inspired design, the residential component will feature curvilinear designs reflective of MiMo style, such as curved balconies and eyebrows. Units will range in size from 2 to 5 bedrooms and feature a full complement of luxury amenities. The masterplan also calls for approximately 15,000 square feet of commercial space along Collins Avenue and approximately 3,000 square feet along Ocean Terrace.

“We are grateful to the North Beach community and City of Miami Beach for working together with us to create a vision for Ocean Terrace that incorporates historic preservation, activation of the oceanfront, and economic revitalization,” said Alex Blavatnik, principal of Ocean Terrace Holdings, LLC. “We are excited to now be able to bring that vision to life, starting with an iconic and activated public space that will belong to the City for future generations.”

The first stage of the redevelopment plan will focus on a new $15 million, five-acre public greenspace along Ocean Terrace designed by world-renowned landscape architect Raymond Jungles. The asphalt street will be converted into an active, pedestrian-focused greenspace with native trees that will provide much-needed shade. A public-private partnership with the City of Miami Beach, the streetscape plan will also offer new walking trails, water features, public seating, and a covered pavilion. A mid-block open breezeway in the Ocean Terrace development will also connect Collins Avenue retail to Ocean Terrace, allowing enhanced public access to the oceanfront. OTH will fully fund the park, with no cost to taxpayers, and will deliver the greenspace on an expedited timeline.

Construction on the public greenspace is set to begin in the third quarter 2022. Pre-construction sales for the residential building are also estimated to launch in 2022.

The h.wood Group's Celebrity Hotspot Delilah Coming To Black Lion Investment Group's Brickell Bay Boardwalk

The LA-based h.wood Group will be bringing their swanky upscale celebrity hotspot concept Delilah to Miami after signing a long term lease with Black Lion Investment Group for their Brickell Bay Boardwalk restaurant space. The h.wood Group restaurant will occupy 10,716 SF of space on the mezzanine level at 801 Brickell Bay Drive and will offer guests a lavishly decorated dining room, a speakeasy-inspired lounge, private elevators and dedicated valet parking to enhance their modern-day supper club experience. The restaurant being designed by Kobi Karp as the architect is scheduled to open in April 2022.

“Delilah is exactly the kind of tenant we had in mind when we imagined the potential of the Brickell Bay Boardwalk development. The h.wood Group has been remarkably successful in attracting the most stylish and tasteful people, including world-famous celebrities, to its lively, social Roaring 20s atmosphere at its restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It takes the right concept to stand out in Miami’s thriving culinary and nightlife scene, and I’m thrilled to welcome what will be a sure favorite among Miami’s discerning residents and visitors to Brickell’s newest waterfront dining and entertainment hub,” said Robert Rivani, President of Black Lion.

Fabio Faerman and Sebastian Faerman of FA Commercial, arranged the leasing of the 10,716 SF mezzanine space. They represented the landlord, Black Lion and Newmark along with Reid Heidenry of ONE Sotheby's International Realty represented the tenant, h.wood Group, in the transaction. FA Commercial also represented Black Lion in leasing the corner space of the Brickell Bay Boardwalk and are currently leasing the final space in the newly redeveloped boardwalk.

Brickell Bay Boardwalk is one of several of Black Lion’s recent developments in the Miami market. In recent months, the company has invested a total of roughly $40 million dollars in projects located in Miami’s most coveted neighborhoods. The company’s South Florida portfolio includes the newly redeveloped Wynwood Jungle, the Amara at Paraiso waterfront restaurant in Edgewater and the restaurant space on the ground level of the SLS LUX Brickell, the last two of three were arranged by FA Commercial.

“With the right investments, Miami is poised to evolve into the Manhattan of the South over the coming years. I’m betting big on the Miami market not just because I see the value in its limitless potential, but because it’s the kind of place I enjoy doing business and visiting. Brickell’s dining and nightlife scene is on a particularly exciting trajectory, so I’m stoked to be part of introducing another sensational concept to the market,” added Rivani.

Delilah’s Miami venue will be the third Delilah location and The h.wood Group’s first restaurant on the east coast. The restaurant group also operates Delilah Las Vegas, in the Wynn Las Vegas, which opened in early July 2021, in addition to the original restaurant in Los Angeles.

The h.wood Group is a Los Angeles based hospitality and lifestyle company with a diversified portfolio of upscale nightlife & restaurant venues. The h.wood Group was established in 2008 and today their portfolio includes 13 venues in Los Angeles including Delilah, The Nice Guy, Harriet’s and Bootsy Bellows; as well as Delilah Las Vegas. In addition to Miami the h.wood Group is expanding to Aspen, Nashville, Toronto and Brooklyn.

Images via Black Lion Investment Group and FA Commercial | Renderings by The h.wood Group

Victory Investments Group Acquires Hotel Astor In Miami Beach For $12.75 Million

Victory Investments Group has acquired the art deco Hotel Astor on Miami Beach for $12.75 million, $304,000 per key, in an off market deal. The Susan Gale Group with ONE Sotheby’s International Realty, which specializes in hospitality transactions, represented both sides of the transaction. Hotel Astor is located at 956 Washington Avenue in the heart of South Beach and was not in operation at the time of sale. The property features a swimming pool and 4,000+ square-foot restaurant space. Victory Investment Group plans to breathe new life into the shuttered 42-room, three story hotel which was built in 1936 and designed by T. Hunter Henderson. According to Gale, the property will undergo extensive renovation, bringing the price per key to $500,000. Over the years Hotel Astor has been at the center of an alleged EB-5 fraud and two bankruptcy filings.

Images via The Susan Gale Group, ONE Sotheby’s International Realty

Acqualina Resort & Residences Awarded #1 Hotel Ranking In 10Best Readers' Choice Awards By USA Today

For the fifth consecutive year, Acqualina Resort & Residences has been recognized as the Best Waterfront Hotel in the United States in the 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards by USA Today.

“We are honored to be recognized by our esteemed guests and readers of USA Today as the #1 Best Waterfront Hotel in America,” said Deborah Yager Fleming, CEO & Partner. “During these challenging times of COVID-19, we have worked very hard to achieve and maintain a high level of excellence all with a focus on creating the most exceptional luxury experiences while welcoming guests safely.”

A panel of experts partnered with USA Today’s 10Best editors to select the initial 20 nominees in the two categories, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

In addition to the USA Today award, Acqualina also received the Forbes Five Star Award for both the hotel and spa for the ninth consecutive year and the AAA Five Diamond for the 13th consecutive year. Along with these prestigious accolades, US News and World Report named Acqualina the #1 Best Resort in the Continental US in their annual Best Hotel Awards and TripAdvisor recognized the resort as the #1 Luxury Beachfront Hotel in the Continental US.

Acqualina Resort & Residences is where the charm of a Mediterranean villa meets elegance on the beach. The lush grounds feature red couches set on Seashore Paspalum grass and are dotted with signature red umbrellas. A seaside luxury haven located on 4.5 beachfront acres in pristine Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina Resort features 98 impeccably appointed guest rooms and suites and 188 residences with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, world-class dining including Il Mulino New York, the alfresco Costa Grill and the new Ke-uH Japanese restaurant, three oceanfront swimming pools, spacious meeting rooms and an innovative marine biology-based children’s program.

A variety of lavish interior and exterior venues provide an ideal background for opulent weddings and memorable events. Acqualina Spa by ESPA, the first ESPA-branded spa in the United States, provides guests with an exquisite 20,000-square-foot, two-story tranquil sanctuary of excellence and relaxation. A family-owned and operated property, Acqualina is a recipient of the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Awards for both the hotel and spa and the AAA Five Diamond Award.

Images via Acqualina Resort & Residences