Miami Beach long timers Keith Menin and Jared Galbut (they're cousins, they also own the Shelborne, and their family has been in this town for-e-ver) opened their latest venture, the Gale and Regent South Beach, the Gale for short, in December. We took a tour with Jared, and Curbed photographer David Rosario, to check out the Gale's guest rooms, amenities, riviera sized roof deck, and some Menin/Galbut family history.
The Gale was originally designed by iconic Miami Beach architect L. Murray Dixon, and the Regent likely was too, but this latest incarnation is the work of ADD Inc. who also just did the Shelborne redo. We already knew about the giant roof deck spanning the top of the two buildings, which we likened to a cruise ship landing on top of two little hotels. The end result however, far from being as obnoxious as the construction shots made it seem, is actually really nice, with a pool and a series of sunny public spaces with some awesome views of the dense urbanity of Miami Beach and of the New World Symphony's outdoor movies. Wiring in sound from the movies is still on the to-do list. Plus, now many of the nicer guest rooms have balconies hidden behind the buildings' old parapets. Down below, they turned the lobbies of each building into a cocktail club and coffee shop, creating a long, narrow new lobby in between, replete with old family photos and hotel memorabilia. There's a restaurant behind, and a nightclub with a 1970s rec room theme, called Rec Room, in the basement.
Even though both hotels were gutted to their shells, historic details abound. They recreated the front porches of both hotels, duplicating the terrazzo on both porches and in the lobbies. The elevators have terrazzo floors inlaid with the hotel's initials. New hurricane windows have mullions to match the originals, the original neon and black metal signage was recreated recreated. Finally, the front yards of both hotels (yes, many art deco hotels in South Beach had front yards) were replanted and landscaped.
· Gale South Beach coverage [Curbed Miami]
· Gale South Beach [Menin Hotels]