Take a tour of The Shelborne, a freshly revamped art deco hotel in South Beach, Florida
Just steps from the sea, the refurbished institution is the latest in a series of Miami hotels that have been given a new lease of life.
The word “iconic” is chronically overused but it is perfectly applicable to the venerable fleet of art deco hotels being relaunched along South Beach’s Collins Avenue. The Raleigh is set to reopen as a Rosewood, while The Shore Club will become part of the Auberge Resorts Collection. And then there is the beautiful Shelborne, built in 1940.
The property underwent its first renovation in the 1950s, when Miami modernism pioneer Morris Lapidus added the pool, cabanas and more guest rooms. Now, Proper Hotels has applied the latest licks of paint and lively finishes to the 251 guest rooms designed by ADC Atelier. “Being able to bring it back to life in such a beautiful way was very exciting for the team,” says Guy Chetwynd, the managing director of The Shelborne by Proper. The hotel’s beach club is only steps from the sea but the best place to spend an afternoon is by the pool amid the mint-green daybeds and parasols – ideally with a drink in hand and bossa nova on the breeze.
Timeline
1941: The Shelborne opens its doors. During the Second World War, the US Army Air Forces leased the building as a training centre. It is reopened to the public in 1945.
1958: The Shelborne undergoes its first major expansion, overseen by the architect Morris Lapidus.
1993: A portion of the building is temporarily transformed into residential condo-style accommodation.
2023: The Proper Hotels group acquires The Shelborne and commissions ADC Atelier to begin a $100m (€86m) transformation.
2025: The reimagined Shelborne opens to the public.