Beachfront Destination
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By Hanna Aronovich   
Sunday, 01 July 2007
smc Eden Roc is restoring the grandeur of its historic property, while adding additional rooms to allow more guests to experience its elegance.
Eden Roc is restoring the grandeur of its historic property, while adding additional rooms to allow more guests to experience its elegance.
In the 1960s, when Hollywood royalty wanted to escape and relax, they headed to Eden Roc Renaissance Resort and Spa on Miami Beach, Fla. General Manager Gary Gentile says the hotel hosted Elizabeth Taylor, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Jerry Lewis, Milton Berle and other celebrities.

“It was a hot spot for the movie stars to see and be seen,” Gentile says. “It was kind of a who’s who in Hollywood, and the Eden Roc became known as the hip place for the beautiful people to be in South Florida. We even named some of our suites after our famous guests.”

The Eden Roc opened in 1956 and was designed by famed – and controversial – architect Morris Lapidus. Gentile says Lapidus’ curves, shapes and attention-getting designs were criticized by his architectural peers. However, his trendy and European-inspired style was popular among the end-users of his buildings.

Lapidus had designed the Fontainebleu Resort on Miami Beach a year earlier, and when the Eden Roc opened next door, it “created quite a stir,” Gentile says. Overlooking the ocean, the Eden Roc’s circular lobby features Italian marble, a mahogany reception desk and highly polished terrazzo floors. A floating marble staircase took guests from the lobby up to the spa entrance on the mezzanine floor. Swimming pools, sun decks, fine dining and its destination spa, Spa of Eden, are just some of the hotel’s amenities along with its oceanfront location.

In 2000, Marriott International took over the management of the 349-room hotel, and branded it under its Renaissance Brand portfolio. It also recognized the importance of preserving and renovating the hotel, and in April 2007, the hotel began its $150 million renovation project, led by the owners, Key International and Hensel Phelps Construction Co.

In addition to restoring the façade and interiors – in compliance with the Miami Beach preservation board and historical society’s guidelines – the hotel’s infrastructure will be upgraded, including new kitchens for the restaurants and heat and air conditioning systems throughout the hotel.

Other remodeling highlights include renovating the Spa of Eden, new restaurants, a Starbucks in the lobby, picture windows, outdoor patios, double-deck ballrooms with a rooftop reception area, two infinity pools and a redesigned contemporary boardwalk. A 22-story, 283-room tower is also being built, along with two new ballrooms and additional meeting rooms.

Gentile says the guest rooms are ultra-contemporary, featuring white leather finishes with mahogany wood trim – “a Miami modern look,” Gentile says – and large picture windows to create an open and bright space.

The hotel’s historic tower of guest rooms will be completely renovated and have a soft opening in November, with 140 rooms available for occupancy. In December 2008, the hotel will open at full capacity – 632 rooms – and hold another grand opening in January 2009.

Gentile says Eden Roc draws a mix of business and leisure guests. “We have more than 45,000 square feet of meeting space, so our business is about 50 to 55 percent group reservations, while the rest is leisure customers that come to enjoy the beach, spa, nightlife and restaurants,” he explains. “We’ve always been blessed with repeat customers. Some families have been coming here for generations.”

In addition to customer loyalty, Eden Roc values the loyalty of its associates. During the renovations, Eden Roc found temporary jobs at other Marriott locations for all of the managers and associates who requested to stay with the company.

“The entire engineering and housekeeping staff was given the opportunity to work at one of the Marriott properties, and they will return to Eden Roc in November,” Gentile says. “In total, about 90 percent of our staff was relocated within the company, and we’re excited to have those folks join us when we reopen.

“The staff is calling and checking in because they’re excited to learn about our progress,” he continues. “We feel proud that we were able to find employment for our staff, and we are looking forward to their return. They know our culture and our customers, and our associates’ legendary service is the reason for our long-term success.”   
 
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