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Miami Beach is home to more than a few slightly over-the-top hotels, and it can be an unsettling experience trying to reconcile the total design excess with the pervasive atmosphere of high seriousness. Fortunately there’s one place that seems utterly self-aware; the Pelican is as flauntingly ostentatious as they come, but with an almost Warholian wink—this is a fantasyland with no pretentions to authenticity, a playful and almost pranksterish put-on, with the guests fully in on the joke.
And what else would one expect from the Diesel fashion group? A hotel owned by an old-school fashion dynasty would paper its walls in its own logo, and emboss its label on every flat surface. Here the approach is a bit more theatrical; each of the Pelican’s rooms looks like it could have been a backdrop for one of the iconoclastic label’s highly artificial advertising shoots. The Psychedelic(ate) Girl room is as faithful a rendition of the Sixties London fantasy as we’ve seen, and the Born in the Stars & Stripes room does Americana kitsch the way it seems only a Swedish decorator could do it. The ever-popular Best Whorehouse room, though, may be Magnus Ehrland’s magnum opus, a masterwork of boudoir chic that’s liable to make you feel a bit dirty just walking through the door.
The list goes on, and there’s something for almost every taste, from the ultra-feminine Power Flower to the leather-and-stripes Executive Zebra suite. Everything, that is, except the norm—if you’re a diehard fan of white-on-white, or fussy Art Deco revivalism, try just about anywhere else. If you’re looking for character, though, then the Pelican may be your place. The restaurant is casual and hip yet really rather good, a bit like its denim-empire ownership; and the bar is remarkably relaxed considering the velvet-rope madness at many Miami nightspots. This is the perfect antidote to the pretentiousness and self-satisfaction of the Miami Beach hotel scene—it’s impossible to take yourself too seriously when surrounded by photo-quality jungle-print wallpaper.
- 56 Rooms
- Style: Modern Design
- Atmosphere: Lively
- 55 Guest Reviews
- Pelican Hotel
- 826 Ocean Drive
- Miami Beach, FL, USA
Hotel amenities and services
- 100% non-smoking hotel
- 24 hour concierge
- 24 hour front desk
- 24 hour medical assistance
- Babysitting (on request)
- Bar
- Bicycle rentals nearby
- Central air conditioning
- Free wi-fi
- Golf nearby
- Lounge
- Luggage storage
- Multi-lingual staff
- Offsite gym facilities
- Pet Friendly
- Pets allowed (charges apply)
- Restaurant
- Room service
- Shopping area nearby
- Valet parking (charges apply)
- Wake-up service
Other Miami hotels
55 Guest Reviews
All reviews are from Tablet guests with verified stays.
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- Julie
- Stayed June 2009
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
The Pelican is a little gem of a hotel located right on Ocean Drive. The staff is incredible - everyone is so nice and so fun. I can't complain about anything, including the restaurant, which is really one of the best restaurants in south beach (even a local told us this!). The bar is a great mix of an italian atmosphere with italian flare. Also, the hotel doesn't have a pool but the free huge beach chairs on the beach more than make up for this. I will definitely return to the Pelican.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing!
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- Russell
- Stayed June 2009
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
The quirky rooms. The location. The desk staff. The beach chair service - AWESOME!
What the hotel could do better:
Every room is differnt so you just don't know what you'll get. Some rooms are definitely better than others. We had the Psychadelic (ate) girl room. It was kewl. Small and some of the furnishings cheap like the wardrobe. I'd say some rooms are supposed to be much better. Some much worse.
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- Hanna Sophie
- Stayed July 2009
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
Great staff, great location, very good with free beach chairs. A very hip hotel for younger people.
What the hotel could do better:
Noisy fan in the room.
