| Overnight Delights |
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| FLORIDA (page 1) |
| Sands Motel Treasure Island, FL |
Sea Chest Motel Treasure Island, FL |
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Treasure Island was developed in the late 1940s/1950s and many mid-century buildings remain. There are still quite a few surviving motels including these two. For more, see this website.
The Sands Motel, built in 1948, was the first motel on the island. It was designed as apartments by Herbert L. Dowling. The rooms still have original details, including cedar closets and oil paintings. For more, see their website. The Sea Chest Motel still has its original treasure chest sign. For more, see this website. |
| Stephan's International Motel Miami, FL |
South Pacific Motel Miami, FL |
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Miami, best known for its Art Deco, has a few pockets of wonderful mid-century buildings (aka MiMo - Miami Modern), including many motels on Biscayne Blvd. like these.
The Stephan's International Motel is typical of the style with its overhanging roof, exposed stairways, curves, and pastel colors. The South Pacific Motel was built in 1953 and has some nice original signage. Many hotels on this strip incorporate stone and brick. |
| Shalimar Motel Miami, FL |
Davis Motel Miami, FL |
Royal Motel Miami, FL |
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The Shalimar Motel was designed by Edwin Reeder and built in 1950. For more, see this website.
The Davis Motel looks like an early Mid-Century or an Art Deco building that was updated in the 1950s. The Royal Motel is another mid-century classic. |
| Vagabond Motel Miami, FL |
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| The Vagabond Motel was designed by Robert M. Swartburg and built in 1953. It features an incredible canopy and great signage including a statue/fountain of three Veneres (FYI, the plural of Venus) on a half-shell with leaping dolphins. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. |
| Delano Hotel Miami Beach, FL |
Creek Motel Miami Beach, FL |
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As you go further north in Miami Beach on Collins Avenue, the hotels get larger and taller and shift from Art Deco to Mid-Century.
The Delano Hotel was designed by Robert W. Swartburg and built in 1947. It was named after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. The Creek Motel was originally known as Motel Ankara and later Banana Bungalow. The two-story motel was designed by Reiff & Feldman and built in 1954. It gets its name from Indian Creek which runs right beside the motel. For more, see their website. |
| Seville Beach Hotel Miami Beach, FL |
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| The Seville Beach Hotel is another mega-mid-century hotel with 11 stories and over 300 rooms. It was built in 1955. Part of all of the hotel may be demolished for condos. For more, see this website. |
| Fontainebleau Hotel Miami Beach, FL |
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| The Fontainebleau Hotel, now the Fontainebleau Hilton, was designed in 1953 by Morris Lapidus. It has 36 stories with over 900 rooms. Set on 20 acres, it includes a half-acre lagoon style rock grotto pool. As of 2007, it was undergoing a $500 million renovation and expansion project. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. |
| Eden Roc Hotel Miami Beach, FL |
Casablanca Hotel Miami Beach, FL |
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The Eden Roc Hotel, now the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort & Spa, is right next door to the Fontainebleau. It was built in 1956 and also designed by Lapidus. The building is 13 stories tall with 349 rooms. It underwent a $17 million renovation in 2003. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2.
The Casablanca Hotel, now the New Casablanca on the Ocean Hotel, was built in 1949, designed by Roy France. It features Arabian Nights-style genie statues supporting a canopy. The hotel design was actually inspired by the movie "Casablanca". It was renovated/restored in 1995. For more, see their website. |
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