One of the measures of success in South Beach is the size and popularity of a hotel's pool scene. And a year after it made its debut, the SLS South Beach is still a champ.
The SLS has two pools. One is in a zone called Hyde Beach, which is, by accounts, home to all-out, rockin' parties where guests dress to impress in bikinis and stiletto heels, DJs spin all afternoon and into the night, and one can order drinks by the glass, pitcher or vase.
But that's the weekend.
When I showed up at the SLS on a Monday, no big parties were planned and Hyde Beach was a quiet, even contemplative place to relax. The grove of trees that separate the hotel-guest pool from the party pool was empty of revelers. I was able to get an unobstructed look at Hyde's interior lounge, which carries a kind of vintage surfer-and-tiki vibe, with low ceilings, wooden surfboards and kitschy lamps on stacks of books.
But even when the party's on hiatus the SLS is still brash and fun, from the red-carpet entrance on Collins Avenue all the way to the sand.
The giant rubber ducky at the entrance to Hyde Beach.
Perched on the corner of 17th and Collins and restored to a shine, the SLS tower was built in 1939 and designed by art deco architect L. Murray Dixon. In the name of preservation, the historical flourish at the top of the building still proclaims in neon the property to be the Ritz Plaza. The SLS name is affixed atop the bronzed front entrance, and across the front of the building on the beach side.
The SLS brand is native to the West Coast; led by Angeleno nightlife impresario Sam Nazarian, it's a small but fast-growing chain of fashion-forward hotels, coming soon to New York, Philadelphia and Seattle, according to website of parent company SBE. SLS and its ilk, like the Standard, are today's version of swank-hotel-as-destination, the way Ian Schrager modeled the Delano, across the road from the SLS.
The SLS also is one of a number of high-end properties on Collins. In addition to the Edition, Schrager's partnership with Marriott, Sixty Hotels is opening up the street, next to the recently revamped Shelborne Wyndham Grand, which offers a Morimoto restaurant and drink menu by Albert Trummer.
The W, Setai, Ritz-Carlton, Delano and Shore Club, to name a few, are all in a six-block stretch.
From SoCal to SoBe
Despite its SoCal roots, the SLS seems particularly suited for life in SoBe.
Could it be because the SLS brand is an expert in celebrity? Brand names include Jose Andres on culinary and Philippe Starck and Lenny Kravitz on decor.
Could it be because of the property's emphasis on art and design? (My visit was just a month before Art Basel Miami kicked into high gear.) A 10-foot-tall, silvery statue of a rubber duck sits between the guest pool and Hyde Beach, just one example of artsy whimsy. Starck's overarching concept for the SLS South Beach was "dream," which includes splashes of colors and surprising details — hello, ducky.
Could it be because the name "Hyde" (a name in use at its properties in L.A. and Vegas, too) seems tongue in cheek? There is little hiding at the SLS, and, you know, visitors really don't come to South Beach for a hideout kind of vacation. Everyone on property is potentially a celebrity — or at least interesting in their own right.
The entrance to the Katsuya restaurant, Bar Centro or the pools is through the Bazaar restaurant. At the pool itself, cabanas are positioned on one side of the path, loungers on the other, so everyone must pass by everybody. The few private balconies overlook the pools.
The SLS is also a hotel made for selfies. I couldn't help myself! I took selfies in the ceiling mirror of my room.
The author's selfie using the mirror over the bed. Photo Credit: Rebecca Tobin
I took a selfie in the elevator. I Instagrammed my cabana.
Yet in the midst of the high-concept chandeliers and perfectly designed pool grounds, I found that the SLS had come correct on guest services. The staff, from front desk to bartenders, waitresses and the pool staff, were courteous and friendly.
Even when I turned up solo at the al fresco Bar Centro for dinner (eating alone in South Beach is not for the faint of heart) I found respectful, nice wait staff and prompt service.
I'd been to Bar Centro earlier in the day and found it to be a shaded porch of a restaurant, welcoming and friendly, a relatively low-key lounge, which provides a prime view of the pools and beach beyond. As ceiling fans whir overhead, guests relax on striped couches and sip drinks like the big bison (Zubrowka vodka, fennel syrup, cucumber, lemon).
A refreshing cocktail (says the menu: "choose from our available boutique gin selection and we will create the perfect gin and tonic for you") seemed to be a worthwhile companion while I was watching and being watched by other guests.