A most welcome last-minute invitation to the South Beach Food & Wine Festival recently brought me to sunny Miami from rainy Los Angeles. I reserved the Pelican Hotel on Ocean Avenue for its practical location near the events and had just a quick glimpse of the hotel’s crisp green and white outside and Art Deco-style lettering before I got in. At that point, the Pelican looked comparable to the opportunity’s numerous small hotels with outside dining along the busy sidewalk.
The dining establishment was the most notable function outside along with inside, with wonderfully set tables taking the majority of the lobby area. A well-stocked bar was the next thing I identified before I found the small reception location off to the side. My space was ready, and the charming Lorenz checked me into room 309, where I was greeted by a brilliant orange fur club chair and an entire wall painted in wild yellow and green wavy stripes. That was one of my first ideas that this hotel was something various. That, and the lettering on the door that said “Psychedelic(ate) Girl.” Hmmm.
Owned by Renzo Rosso, founder of Italian style brand Diesel, the hotel was entirely remodelled and reopened late in 2022. Rosso bought the hotel in 1990, and his child, Andrea Rosso, collaborated the two-year change. Each of the 32 rooms is unique, with its own name, design based on retro-inspired motion picture styles, and cheeky vintage furniture.
I had the opportunity to see numerous other rooms, consisting of the penthouse, where Rosso remains when visiting Miami. Its extensive outdoor terrace, furnished with palm trees and lounges, ignores Ocean Drive. Inside, there’s a curved white couch, mirrored coffee table, framed Warhol paintings of the Beatles, glossy chrome lighting fixture, and a brilliant orange table and chairs. A round window between the living-room and bedroom is in fact an exotic fish tank, and a chrome-framed panther tapestry hangs over the bed, with complex stained glass windows together with.
Another room, called “Old Glory,” features a framed vintage Diesel banner and walls covered in pale blue denim. The room called “Me Tarzan, You Vain” is embellished with zebra stripes, a leopard cub painting, bamboo-framed mirror, and striped nightstand of woven natural material. In the “Go Bananas” space, brilliant palm designs decorate the walls and the material on rattan furnishings. In an aviation-themed space, engine parts act as nightstand bases. The tile operate in each bathroom complements the room’s hues, used in splendid detail.
My sis joined me on the trip, and we had a supper reservation at the Pelican Café. Our outdoors table on the upper level was the perfect location to view the continuous parade of South Beach residents and visitors. Enthusiasts of whatever Italian, we mored than happy to hear the wait staff speaking the language of our favorite travel destination. The supper, from our burrata with ripe cherry tomatoes and cantaloupe with prosciutto to our tiramisu and pistachio ice cream, was extraordinary. Our server, Andrea, recommended the best wine from Naples, and we agreed that Pelican Café is too modest a name for one of Miami’s finest Italian dining areas.
Chef Giancarlo “Wendy” Cacciatori, renowned for his dining establishments in Miami and New York, oversees the kitchen area, bringing his cooking experience from his native Emilia Romagna. The all-day menu consists of seasonal dishes, pastas, seafood, and traditional Italian food with a modern-day touch.
Complimentary beach chairs and towels, everyday aperitivo hour, turndown house cleaning, and mini-bar with drinks are consisted of for guests, and the hotel’s employee become part of the enjoyable and casual experience. We took pleasure in being familiar with numerous during our brief stay, and we learned that Ilenia, who we chatted with at the bar, would be leaving quickly to operate in Puglia, Italy, at Borgo Egnazia– among the very best resorts in Italy– for the season.
Our remain at the Pelican Hotel was the icing on the cake, so to speak, of our trip to Miami for the South Beach Food & Wine Festival. Spending a couple of nights in the yellow and green “Psychedelic(ate) Girl” was fun, and next year, we wish to go back to a completely various and just as whimsical room.