The James Royal Palm announced in Miami
US-based hospitality brand The James has unveiled plans for its third luxury hotel, The James Royal Palm in Miami.
The James Royal Palm will be the brand's first hotel in Florida. It is planned to be built as an addition to the historic Royal Palm Hotel which was first built in South Beach in 1939 as a four-storey hotel to replace the original Royal Palm in Miami that was destroyed by fire in 1938. Designed in the then popular European-influenced Art Deco style, the hotel featured strong vertical elements and horizontal lines for movement and fluidity. Signature historic design elements included the compass rose in the terrazzo lobby floor, the glass front desk and the porthole windows of the Lobby Bar.
The new James Royal Palm will be designed by Lauren Rottet of Rottet Studio. It will aim to serve as a modern tribute to the building's rich history, retaining many signature elements of the original architect's design. The property's notable royal palm trees in the front entry drive will be intact, with additional palm trees being added to exterior areas near the pool.
On the lines of The James Chicago and The James New York, the overall design aesthetic at The James Royal Palm will be contemporary and residentially-inspired. The focus will be on local art and environmentally thoughtful touches such as reclaimed materials and natural fibers. The colour palette of both the public areas and the guest rooms will reflect the property's location, with many shades of pale green and creamy white interplaying in each area. Most of the elements such as the wall paneling and terrazzo flooring in the entry foyer will be designed to pay tribute to the original property's Art Deco history.
The hotel will feature 179 guest rooms and 211 studios and suites, with most of them offering ocean views. It will also feature two swimming pools, a beachfront restaurant, a poolside bar, a lobby lounge, a full-service spa and over 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
The property is owned by KSL Capital Partners. It is scheduled to open in late 2012.
