Sagamore Hotel

Art Deco District

Solely populated by planters at the end of the 19^th century, Miami today is the one of the largest beach resorts in the world. The city began to develop in the early 20^th century with the construction of a railroad line, and in the 1920s, when it refused to respect prohibition, its population quadrupled.

In 1959, during the Cuban revolution, 500,000 Cubans took refuge here followed by immigrants from Haiti, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, creating a multicultural city. Miami continued to grow, and today, a number of urban centers have become cities in their own right like Miami Beach, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables.

Miami Beach possesses the largest art deco quarter in the world, the only one in the United States with the title of National Historical Neighborhood. Called South Beach, it runs from Lincoln Avenue to 5^th Street. Built in the 1930s along the beach, it is characterized by its exceptional architecture. Initiated in Paris in the 1920s, the art deco style, seen as futuristic, developed and diversified throughout the world. In Miami, it inspired the aerodynamic curves of ocean liners and airplanes of the 1930s. Pierced by windows and portholes, and decorated with metal balustrades, the buildings contain friezes depicting the tropical flora and fauna of the region. Soft colored palm trees and pink flamingos can be seen decorating the facades. Threatened with destruction in the 1960s, the quarter was renovated in the 80s adding pastel colors and creating an art deco style that is unique in the world: tropical art deco.

An arty spot for trendy travelers

Facing the ocean, the Sagamore is located on the legendary Collins Avenue. Its art deco style, like all the structures around it, has an imposing 1950s white façade and is situated between two buildings. This truly arty site has a hall that looks more like an art gallery than a reception area. The hotel’s owners, devout art lovers, amassed a unique collection of photographs, paintings, videos and other contemporary masterpieces over a period of fifteen years. They are on display throughout the entire hotel, even in the fire exits! Like a true art gallery, the exhibits change very often, to the point that one can visit the hotel several times without every tiring of it.

The totally white painted surroundings further enhance the beauty of the works on display. Access to the rooms in the main building is via dark corridors with quotations by famous artists on the walls. The rooms and suites are in white as well, with dark wood furniture, creating a slightly retro atmosphere. The lamps and cushions have graphic elements in yellow, orange, brown and black. The single level bungalows spread around the swimming pool also have a few works of art, giving the impression of being at a friend’s house.

The two-story Penthouse Suites adjacent to the main building have a private Jacuzzi and a rooftop swimming pool. Those who are not staying in a Penthouse suite and feel like a swim can choose between the hotel’s pool, which becomes a meeting place for cocktails for the trendiest Miami Beach residents, and the beach to which they have a private access.

A small restaurant, known for its cuisine and its black and white portraits on the walls, an entirely white bar with strange video installations and a garden filled with contemporary sculpture make the Sagamore a truly atypical hotel. Somewhere between an art gallery, a museum and a luxury hotel, it’s an arty destination for trendy travelers.

Every year in December, when Miami Beach hosts the Art Basel Miami Beach, an American version of the Basel Contemporary Art Fair in Switzerland, the Sagamore becomes a rendezvous point for all of the invited celebrities.