1 of 5
photo:
Courtesy of W HotelsThe W South Beach
Stepping inside the W South Beach feels more like walking into a carefully edited gallery than a hotel. George Condo’s Untitled (Sir Alfred Chipmunk) greets you at the door, followed by a Warhol and a Basquiat, all whimsical work from owner Aby Rosen’s private collection. And the imaginative playfulness doesn’t stop with the art. The lobby, known as “The Living Room,” is made of up secret enclaves: reception is positioned behind curved walls; “The Store” (W’s extreme gift shop) is inside an unmarked doorway. Meanwhile, the soaring ceiling and twenty-foot long beaded curtains give the room grandeur. The eclectic interior is by Anna Busta of Studio B Design — along with architect Costas Kondylis and landscape designer Paula Hayes. Busta mixes styles to create distinct gathering spaces with aplomb. (One guest even declared that she “would only sit in the cheetah room,” which isn’t actually a room at all but winged-back chairs positioned around an animal print rug.) The sofas are Italian, the floor is inlaid with bronze and the columns are made of white quartzite. The most dramatic features, however, are the chandeliers by Swiss company Studio Atelier OI — which double as wind chimes — and the 1950’s-era copper-colored honeycomb screens. They give the space a truly glamorous vibe unlike anywhere else.
