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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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- Hazem
- Stayed May 2009
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
The place doesn't feel like your normal hotel. The style and atmosphere, along with the restaurant/cafe at the front which doubles as the entrance, gives it that 'hangout' feeling which makes the place very cozy. Location is perfect, food is amazing and the rooms are way cool... the scents in the corridors are a great touch.
What the hotel could do better:
Nothing.
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- eileen
- Stayed May 2009
- Rating: Good
What I liked:
Lots of character, great scent sticks in the hallway (no stinky mildewy hallway!), well maintained property, very clean rooms, decently priced meals, good value, Aveda amenities, Great rain shower head (in the tarzan room).
What the hotel could do better:
Ocean drive is overly touristy (the loud, jello shooter lover kind), rooms in front will be very noisy, the beach fronting the hotel is littered with plastic cups, ciggie butts and the occasional used prophylactic. Hotel provide chairs and umbrella but the service is not guaranteed, based on weather. (small rain = close up shop)
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- Karen
- Stayed April 2009
- Rating: Excellent
What I liked:
Booked the room the day before the trip using the Last Minute option on the Tablet site. We loved the location, right on Ocean in the heart of South Beach. The room we stayed in, the "Best Whorehouse" was a side corner unit with a queen bed and red decor. It was vibrant and funky, the design nicely executed, and with the lights dimmed, quite relaxing. In the bath, the Aveda products smelled wonderful and the large overhead rainfall shower head was super powerful. This is not your typical conservative/business or family style hotel, so you might need to adjust your expectations accordingly. The front desk and all staff we ran into were friendly and very accomodating. We had an awesome stay!
What the hotel could do better:
A minor problem with the hardness of the bed was immediately resolved by the front desk who offered up a feather bed to layer over the mattress. Perfect!
