The Best Room At: The Esmé Miami Beach
South Florida is packed this week for the string of satellite fairs, luxury activations, and social events surrounding the annual Art Basel Miami Beach fair, which opens to collectors on Tuesday.
In Palm Beach, there's New Wave Art Wknd, Fendi Casa is opening a brand-new boutique in Miami's Design District, and in Miami Beach the fair Untitled opens on Monday and later in the week Saint Laurent's Anthony Vaccarello curates an exhibit to coincide with the label's re-edition of Madonna's infamous book Sex.
In other words, good luck snagging a hotel room, and when they are available, expect the rates to be stratospherically high. Which is why it might be a good time to consider new arrivals to the scene, like the boutique hotel Esmé that opened on the historic Española Way, where both Al Capone and Desi Arnaz were once regulars.
I was introduced to the property last Basel by Mrs. Mandolin herself, Anastasia Koutsioukis, the co-proprietress of the great Miami Greek restaurant Mandolin Aegean Bistro, who had opened the hotel's new restaurant concept, The Drexel, and showed me around while it was still in soft opening mode. It struck me that with these new additions to the mix, and fixtures like the brunch spot and creperie À la Folie Café still firing on all cylinders, the page might be finally turning on this underrated corner of the beach. Director of hospitality James Stuart answers a few questions about the property.
Tell me about the signature suite at Esme. What makes it special?
Esmé has four very different suites, all designed and curated by designer Jessica Shuster who chose an eclectic mix of hand-picked furniture and custom pieces. They all have a bohemian, whimsical touch.
What is the starting rate for the suite, and what kind of packages can guests build around it?
Rates at Esmé vary according to season, but generally start at $300 during the high season.
What is the property's history, and what is one feature first-time visitors will find surprising?
Formerly known as The Clay Hotel and the Spanish Village, the property opened in 1927 as a bohemian artist’s colony. Al Capone once ran an underground gambling operation in the property’s main building and Desi Arnaz reportedly lived on the street and would perform regularly at the Village Tavern. It’s seen a lot of eras, and Esmé pays homage to all of them in subtle ways. Something our guests love is our cocktail bar, El Salón. It’s a gorgeous hideout and also a really fun spot late at night when we have vinyl DJs spinning old soul and funk records.
Espanola Way is one of the oldest streets in all of South Beach. Tell us about that history and its special place in Miami lore.
When we created Esmé, we delved deep into the history of the area and learned that in the 1920s, developers NBT Roney and William Whitman decided that Miami needed a space to accommodate the city’s growing bohemian crowd. They chose charming Spanish/Mediterranean-style architecture for Española Way, and the area became a haven for artists and creatives, and later, mobsters and celebrities. In the early 1960s, tourism in Miami dropped drastically as people opted to travel to Las Vegas over South Florida. Around this time, Española Way fell into disrepair. In the 1980s it received a facelift when Linda Polansky and others purchased a large portion of the street and restored the buildings and pushed the city to redevelop the area. It was at this time when Española Way became a popular location for iconic shows and movies like Miami Vice and The Birdcage. Today, Española Way is again catching the eye of both locals and tourists through recent revival efforts. With the opening of Esmé Miami Beach Hotel, and more locally targeted, upscale restaurants moving in, our charming, pedestrian plaza has once again become a Miami destination.
What sights, shops, and restaurants near Esme should visitors check out this year, especially this coming Miami Art Week and Art Basel Miami Beach?
Today, Española Way is experiencing a renaissance that started with the opening of our hotel, Esme, and restaurants like The Drexel, and Tropezón which has brought new attention to the street. I’m also excited about P448, a very cool Italian sneaker brand that opened a store on the block.
One of the new additions to the street is the hotel's restaurant, the Drexel. Tell us about how it came to be, and its cuisine.
We partnered with the founders and operators of Miami’s Mandolin restaurant to create The Drexel, a beautiful, modern coastal Mediterranean restaurant. Chef Nano Crespo is producing simple dishes that showcase the vibrant flavors of Europe, with charcoal-grilled and wood-oven preparations. The menu has everything from house-made pastas and pizza, grilled seafood, and a whole section dedicated to vegetables.
Are there any other special experiences guests should ask for when they arrive?
For those who love a great cocktail, we recommend doing a private spirit tasting with El Salón’s master mixologist, Dave Simmons. It’s a one-on-one session and Dave, who developed El Salón’s proprietary beverage program is a real talent. The experience is fun, informative, and he’ll make some of the most unique cocktails you’ve ever tasted, while teaching you about each blend.
What’s in store at Esmé for the remainder of 2022 and into 2023?
Our first year has been exceptional and we’re planning for an exciting Art Basel fair with lots of great happenings, which kicks off the high season. While Miami used to be considered primarily an events destination, or place to party, there is so much going on culturally our guests are spoiled with things to do and see. As we look toward 2023, we have some great collaborations and partnerships in the pipeline that we can’t wait to bring to life.
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