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In the mid-'90s when the Delano opened its doors, it not only welcomed a bevy of A-list celebrities and fiercely-hip jet setters, it also marked the second chapter of development in South Beach. Designer Ian Schrager affectionately called his latest creation "undersigned," a notion that embodies the "less to see, more to feel" mantra South Beach has become known for. Hidden from the street by a wall of greenery, the front terrace, situated just off the main lobby, has an oversized, stark-white couch and inviting chairs suggesting that there is no distinction between indoors and outdoors, formal and casual, fantasy and reality. Brazilian-cherrywood floors and 18,000 feet of white gossamer curtains set the perfect stage for a mix of surreal furniture that pay homage to the likes of Antoni Gaudí and Salvador Dali. The lobby's Rose bar, disguised as the inviting kitchen of a dinner party you once attended, is the just the aperitif for The Blue Door (an eatery that has seen much controversy over the years as to whether or not Madonna was one of the restaurant's investors). Terra-cotta stairs lead the way from the restaurant to the Orchard where one would hardly be surprised to see the Mad Hatter or Queen of Hearts playing with the life-size chess pieces, or Alice herself peering into one of the full-length mirrors propped against the trunk of a ficus tree. A museum-like gift shop (not a flamingo magnet in site), a fully-equipped David Barton gym, a pristine private beach and a spa that embodies what sitting on a cloud must be like are only a few reasons visitors ignore the beckoning of the outside world for the enchanting haven of relaxation that is the Delano. |
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