CLIENT NEWS: An 85-year-old hotel in Miami Beach just got a $100M upgrade. See what’s new — and old
February 24, 2025One of Miami Beach’s oldest oceanfront hotels is reopening to guests after undergoing a $100 million renovation that modernized the landmark and also brought back some of its original design.
The Shelborne, 1801 Collins Ave., has started taking reservations for stays beginning May 1, 2025.
The 85-year-old hotel, which once foreshadowed the Miami Modernism style, or MiMo of the 1950s, now has 251 rooms, down from 275. The rooms and suites have warm and earthy hues, ceramic sconces, handcrafted ceramics and limestone floors.
There’s also a new 4,000 square-feet lobby bar, the size of an NBA basketball court, with 120 seats.
The renovation is part of a rebirth of luxury resorts on one of the best-known streets in South Florida. The reopening also comes as new hotel construction has slowed in the region over the past two years.
Restoration of the Shelborne
What’s old is new.
The original building facade and double-height windows have been restored. Condos added in the 1990s were demolished as part of the renovations.
The restoration of the building facade repaired previous damage to the concrete, and the 18th Street windows are back to their ‘50s appearance, Guy Chetwynd, the hotel’s managing director, said in a statement.
The property’s swimming pool work also brought back the 1950s diving board. The pool was repaired and the surrounding deck landscaped. And the common areas have been restored to the original architecture.
The diving tower, the circular stair down to the pool deck, and the porte-cochere are all original historic elements preserved during renovations, Chetwynd said.
“Our focus was on respecting the building’s storied past while crafting spaces that feel both inviting and contemporary for today’s guests,” Aaron David Clarke, principal of designer ADC Atelier, said in a statement.
Room rates and reservations
Suites include a 1,700 square-foot two-bedroom penthouse with a large outdoor terrace and unobstructed views of the ocean and Miami Beach. One-bedroom king suites have living rooms, and two-bedroom villas come with kitchenette and proximity to the pool.
Room rates will start at $489 a night. Reservations can be made at shelborne.com.
The Shelborne management
For food and beverage, the Shelborne is partnering with Lowder-Tascarella and Michelin-starred chef Abram Bissell, a Florida Keys native who has worked at restaurants in New York City.
Santa Monica, California-based hospitality brand Proper Hospitality will operate and manage the hotel, the company’s first foray into Florida.
“We’re breathing fresh life into a Miami icon, pairing timeless design with a contemporary spirit that builds community through art, dining and wellness,” Brian De Lowe, co-founder and president of Proper Hospitality, said in a statement.
Shelborne’s history in Miami Beach
The Shelborne hotel, built by architects Igor Polevitzky and Tripp Russell, opened in 1940. At 14 floors, it was among South Beach’s tallest hotels and reflected the up-and-coming MiMo style.
The new hotel quickly drew national attention.
The July 1941 issue of Architectural Record described it as “one of the most newsworthy of the 40 or more new hotels built at Miami Beach in the past year.” The respected publication: “Particularly noteworthy is the typical floor-plan layout in which the architects contrived to obtain the ocean view for 11 of the 13 rooms on each floor.”
As World War II intensified, U.S. soldiers training for deployment stayed there.
In 1945, the Shelborne reopened to the public and then was renovated again. Seven more stories were added by famed architect Morris Lapidus, best known for later designing The Fountainbleau in Miami Beach and Lincoln Road Mall. In 1946, the Shelborne hosted the American Institute of Architects’ national convention.
In 2020, Cedar Capital, King Street Capital and Westdale Properties acquired the Shelborne. They remain the current owners but brought on Proper Hospitality to run the hotel, now formally titled The Shelborne by Proper Hospitality.
Amenities at the Shelborne
- A beach and wellness membership will be available for Miami-Dade residents
- 24-hour fitness center and wellness program
- Access to the beach club
- Over 30,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor event space, including a terrace and event lawn for conferences, galas and seaside celebrations
