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When last we spoke to hotelier Andre Balazs back in December,
2003, he was rather tight-lipped about his recent purchase of The Lido Spa on
Island Avenue in Miami Beach.
However, he did hint at his intentions for the historic
spot: “It’s going to be a Standard Hotel, and it’s going to be a spa — it should
be open late spring/early summer.”
Although the opening took somewhat longer than expected, today 48-year-old Balazs beams with pride when speaks of his latest endeavor,
telling Spa magazine “This is not about exclusivity. It’s
about enjoyment that’s accessible and affordable,” and commenting to the Miami Herald “I
think that I am a little bit in love with a Miami of the past.”
It’s not that the Boston-born hotelier harbors any sort disdain
for present-day South Beach by any means, rather it simply isn’t his style to
pitch to the egos and
attitudes that often prevail in South Beach's velvet rope society. Balazs’ style
statement is about the revival of true glamour and he seemingly has no interest
in impressing the champagne-sipping jet set with bigger, louder, flashier hotels.
Simply put, understated elegance has a style all its own.
Balazs has made his mark in a very demanding industry by breathing new life
into hotels that time and aesthetics have forgotten, yet he does it in a way that holds
true to
the property’s heritage. For Balazs, it’s about finding the soul of the hotel,
giving it a new lease on life and educating a whole new generation about it’s former
glory while keeping them entertained within a serenely beautiful setting.
Such is true with his past ventures like the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles.
When Balazs took on the hotel in 1990, his purchase was to the disgust of many.
Fearing he would quash the hotel’s vibe, his peers fretted about what his
“updates” would do for the noted landmark. Much to their surprise, Balazs revived the
spirit of the hotel. Hardly a week goes by that the press doesn’t mention the
Chateau in relation to a party or celebrity.
With the Chateau's success, Balazs took over The Raleigh in 2002, restoring it to its
1940's glory and
making it the crown jewel of hotels on Miami Beach’s famed Collins Avenue. The
same praise can be attributed to Balazs’ first Standard, a former retirement
home, which became a huge success in Los Angeles despite skepticism from
those who said the hotel would never turn a profit with its low rates.
But Balaz, as always, proved them wrong. And it’s only a matter of time before
the same will be said for his latest Miami Beach offering.
With that history of success in mind, it’s completely understandable why devout
admirers of Balazs’ previous work passed by the old Lido spa on Island Avenue for months to see if the
hotel had yet made its transformation.
Finally, in December 2005, the signature upside down
"The Standard"
sign took its place just beneath the original Morris Lapidus-designed "Lido Spa"
signage, signifying
a new beginning for the property.
Forty years ago, if you stumbled into the Lido, you’d likely find
your grandmother in her gold lame bathing dress playing mah-jongg while she
awaited her spa treatment. Belonging to the Edelstein family for nearly four
decades, the hotel was a hotspot for the Catskills crowd seeking seasonal refuge
from winter’s chill.
But now the revitalized hotel offers a refuge from the stressful
chill of everyday life with its serene setting on Belle Isle.
Amenities like a 900-square-foot Turkish-style hamam, a sweat room that boasts slabs of heated marble where mostly bare spa
dwellers lounge and relax help shut out the world just beyond the Lido.
The Standard's 105 rooms were designed by
Shawn Hausman with beautiful light shaded woods, whitewashed walls,
Scandinavian-style décor and state-of-the-art amenities such as
plasma-screen TVs.
Just outside the
rooms inviting white bathtubs overlook expansive Biscayne Bay. It is here a
guest's adventure in relaxation begins.
R&R is the essence of The Standard and the hotel's spa is its lifeblood.
Hot and cold hydrotherapy,
with hot tub and a 55-degree cold plunge pool offers a refreshing serge, and the open-air mud
lounge, where guests are invited to cake themselves in a variety of muds, bake
in the sun and then rinse, help
the Standard's guests embrace their new-found stress-free environment.
Balazs spared no expense in creating
the spa, and included fine touches like a Wall of Sound showering rotunda that
blends exotic music with the soothing waters. There’s also a cedar sauna, an
aroma steam room and a scrub room. All this, combined with the hamam, is what Balazs
refers to as "bathing culture," something he was introduced to as a young man in Sweden and
later reinforced by his love of Manhattan’s 10th Street
Russian and Turkish Baths. In fact, the Swedish influence is felt throughout the
hotel, from the angled pine planks lining the Dining Room, to the actual rooms
themselves which resemble secluded Swedish cottages. The Hans Wegner-designed
rocking chairs sitting smartly in a row also add to the late '50s
Scandinavian-modernist ambiance.
The spa offers typical treatments, like facials and massages,
which entail pre-counseling before the massage so the masseur knows exactly
which spots to focus their energy on. There’s also yoga, meditation classes,
martial arts classes and a gym where each machine boasts its own LCD television.
Do-it-yourself spa treatments such as the hydrotherapy pool, hamam and scrub room
come inclusive of the room rate. Other treatments, like massages, are
offered a la carte. Locals can look for limited-time rates that range from $100
to $200 for services.
With so much attention given to relaxation and living well, The
Standard Miami just wouldn’t be complete without world class cuisine. Famed New
York Le Bernardin chef Eric Ripert heads up The Standard’s menu which is
centered around — what else — organic goodness. The menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner will also include Balazs’ signature mini
cheeseburgers for those lacking in the willpower department.
If it’s a journey into serenity and wellness you’re looking to explore, The
Standard Miami is a destination as simple and beautiful as
you'll find anywhere on Earth.
The Standard Miami
40 Island Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida
800-258-7503 |
