Marriott has launched its first resort-style property under its Moxy brand in Miami.
Moxy Miami South Beach has been developed by Lightstone, with design that combines “the glamour of mid-century Havana, the artistry of contemporary Mexico City, and a tropical vibrancy that’s unmistakably Miami”.
The hotel is located in the city’s Art Deco District, near landmarks such as the Miami Beach Convention Center, the Jackie Gleason Theatre, and Wolfsonian-FIU Museum.
Public spaces and guestrooms have been designed by Rockwell Group, while Kobi Karp Architecture has collaborated with Rockwell Group to create the exteriors. Meanwhile, Saladino Design Studios led the design on dining venues Serena, Como Como, and Mezcalista.
The hotel features a variety of indoor-outdoor spaces, with several private and semi-private enclaves. The lobby includes several seating areas with entertaining features such as a foosball table with vintage pinup doll players, and a Zoltar-inspired pay phone which provides complimentary horoscope readings from a resident astrologer.
The hotel comprises 202 rooms across eight storeys, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a décor inspired by the Clyde Mallory Line – an overnight ferry service that ran between Miami and Havana in the 1940s and 50s. Rooms also feature custom pieces by Miami artist Aquarela Sabol which depict iconic artists such as Frida Kahlo and Pablo Picasso visiting South Beach.
Further facilities include a fitness centre inspired by the nearby Muscle Beach, a rooftop movie screening room, two pools with private cabanas, three flexible meeting rooms, and a Moxy Beach Club on Miami’s renowned South Beach.
Moxy Miami South Beach also has six dining concepts which draw on Mexican, Caribbean and local flavours. These include the retro-style Bar Moxy, all-day bodega and taco stand Los Buenos, open-air rooftop restaurant and bar Serena, and rooftop bar The Upside (which is also available for private events). Seafood restaurant Como Como and mezcal lounge Mezcalista will open in April.
Greg Keffer, Partner and Studio Leader at Rockwell Group, commented:
“Our design concept for Moxy South Beach celebrates Miami’s uniquely multicultural style, from eclectic Art Deco motifs and Miami Modernism, to Cuban and other Latin American influences.
“To capture the bright, carefree sophistication of South Beach, we blurred the boundaries between indoor and outdoor amenities, and created light-filled guestrooms that have a feeling of openness.”
Mitchell Hochberg, Lightstone’s President, added:
“Opening the hotel during this unprecedented time presented Lightstone with a unique challenge. Moxy South Beach isn’t a response to the pandemic, even if it feels like an antidote to it.
“In a way, the design anticipated the needs of the current environment, so we’re able to accommodate what people are looking for right now: contactless check-in, outdoor spaces, and a do-it-yourself ethos. But we always stayed true to the roots of the Moxy brand, letting guests curate their own experience while they escape reality for a few days in South Beach – and the icing on the cake is that it’s all at an attractive price point. That’s an idea with timeless appeal.”
Marriott launched the Moxy brand in 2013, with the first hotel opening in Milan the following year.
The brand currently has around 70 properties across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific, with recent openings including a UK property in Chester, and the first Moxy hotel in Taiwan.
The brand is also set to debut in the Middle East in 2025, with a 320-room property in Dubai.
