Four years after acquiring the 1940s Berkeley Shore hotel on Collins Avenue and pouring $43 million into its renovation, Miami development company Blue Road took the wraps off the South Beach boutique hotel with a grand opening party on Nov. 3.
The Iberostar Berkeley retains the art deco-style facade of the original Albert Anis-designed hotel, but the interior is all new, and a new 10-story tower brings the total number of guestrooms to 96. Room options include those with furnished private balconies as well as city, rooftop and partial ocean views. A rooftop garden and swimming pool deck overlook Collins Avenue.
The hotel's amenities include a fully equipped gym, a temperature-controlled pool that is open year-round, pool bar service and beach services, including towels, beach chairs and umbrellas. BLT Steak, located in the hotel lobby, features indoor and outdoor seating. Its menu marries steakhouse classics with seasonally inspired dishes drawn from local sources.
Guestrooms feature all-natural elements, including a custom hemp-blend mattress covered in 100% organic cotton sheets, set on top of natural wood platforms. Bathrooms offer triple-filtered water showers and custom bath products made with naturally derived ingredients.
"We put a great deal of time, energy, and investment into this beautiful hotel, and are very excited to finally share it with visitors to Miami Beach," said Marcelo Tenenbaum, who along with Jorge Savloff is a principal of Blue Road. "Our hope is that the passion we put into every decision is fully enjoyed and experienced by our guests."
The Iberostar Berkeley, franchised by Spain-based Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, is the brand's second hotel in the U.S., after New York's Iberostar 70 Park Avenue. The company manages more than 100 four- and five-star hotels in Europe, Africa, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the Americas.
Recent additions to Blue Road's collection of Miami Beach hotels are the Stiles Hotel (purchased in October 2017), the Redbury South Beach (June 2017), Hotel 18 (November 2016) and the Crest Hotel (September 2016). Blue Road also reopened its Casa Boutique Hotel earlier this year.
Rates at the Iberostar Berkeley range from $149 to $739, depending on the season. For more information or to book, visit www.iberostarberkeley.com.