The Team Behind Miami’s Hotel Greystone On Its Inspiration and Offerings
Inside the recently opened South Beach destination
Though Miami boasts a distinct and historic style of architecture and design, the city continues to incorporate interesting, contemporary touches everywhere. Amidst the beautiful Art Deco buildings that line South Beach, many of which have an established heritage and culture in the city, Hotel Greystone positions itself as a new adults-only hotel. Recently opened by the team at Salt Hotels, the destination allows guests to stay in the heart of Miami Beach’s cultural crossroads. We spoke with Kevin O’Shea (co-founder and chief creative officer) as well as David Bowd (the principal founder and CEO of Salt Hotels) to learn about what they hope guests will experience at Hotel Greystone.
There’s a lot of inspiration to draw from in South Beach, tell us about the design concept at Hotel Greystone.
Kevin O’Shea: Working with Bowen Holly, we wanted to capture the vibrancy and colorful nature of South Beach while providing a calm oasis in the midst of all the action. We were inspired by the soft hues that exist on the beach, in the sky and the Art Deco color palette prevalent throughout Miami Beach. Texture plays a big role throughout the hotel, layering natural materials and textural fabrics to create a modern layered look without a lot of patterns.
What are some of the details that make this property unique not just to South Beach, but also regarding the architecture and design style of Miami?
KO: The hotel was built in 1939 by the architect Henry Hohauser who is credited with many iconic structures on South Beach. The hotel is an excellent example of Streamline Moderne, which was inspired by the great ocean liners of the 1930s, and many elements on the facade speak to that. Some notable architectural features include the symmetrical front facade, th rounded corner with eyebrows, horizontal bands, radio spires, marquee “Greystone” sign, ziggurat roofline, bas relief panels, fluted design on cornice, and the classic porthole windows above the doorway.
What was the decision behind making it an adults-only hotel? Is that tied to what you hope guests experience at the property?
David Bowd: Given the size and intimacy of the entire hotel and initial guest feedback, we thought the hotel was very naturally suited to be an adults-only hotel so our guests truly had a place they could relax. I truly hope our guests will feel they had a relaxing and memorable time with us and our amazing team catered to their every need.
How did you decide on the hospitality direction?
DB: We were very fortunate, when we came on board to the project the ownership team had already selected chef Pawan Pinisetti to lead the culinary and food and beverage operations. His philosophy has always been simplicity done right. Great ingredients and solid techniques are what lay the foundation for an honest yet amazing experience. This resonated with our hospitality philosophy of truly delighting our guests with the most amazing experiences. Then we tasted his food for the first time and understood his passion and talent. We have loved working with him.
What do you have set for the rest of the year—plans for expansion?
DB: We are very excited that we will be adding four hotels to the collection this year, including a fantastic club and hotel in Hollywood (opening in June) with the most incredible amenities and features—with three floors of food and beverage, a cabaret room, a recording studio and 35 suites. Another exciting project for us is a Nantucket pop-up hotel for the 2022 season before being fully open in 2023.
Images courtesy of Salt Hotels
