VANITY FAIR – FANFAIR
May 1, 2015
The New Miami Hotel That Oozes Eco-Friendly Cool
Barry Sternlicht’s newest property, 1 Hotel South Beach, provides an ultra-glam atmosphere—that’s also ultra-green.
A farmstand in the lobby, a fleet of Tesla electric vehicles, and 100 percent organic linens: 1 Hotel South Beach in Miami Beach, Florida, is the ultimate eco-friendly oasis. And its debut marks Barry Sternlicht’s latest step in revolutionizing the hotel industry. “I call it ‘the luxury of enough,’” says Sternlicht, who birthed W Hotels. “It’s very comfortable, but not ridiculous. It will be refreshing.” (Two more 1 Hotels will open, in N.Y.C., by the end of the year, and an additional 12 are in the pipeline worldwide.) In Miami Beach, Sternlicht worked with property co-owner Richard LeFrak and tapped design studio Meyer Davis to transform a 17-story landmark on Collins Avenue built in 1925, through the use of woods, stones, and organic textiles. The décor is just one part of the all-green, all-serene experience that guests can expect. The 426 rooms—each a spacious 700 square feet, on average—come with Triple-Clear water filters, hemp-blend-filled Keetsa mattresses, terrariums, yoga mats, and meditation guides (there’s an app for that on the in-room tablet). Plus: the hotel’s three restaurants will be helmed by farm-to-table maestro Tom Colicchio, in his Miami debut.