Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin designed the interiors of Alan Faena's Mid-Beach hotel, and the result is maximalism as coherent philosophy rather than aesthetic accident. A gilded woolly mammoth skeleton by Damien Hirst dominates the lobby. The theatre hosts weekly performances. The Francis Mallmann-helmed restaurant Los Fuegos cooks over open flame. Every surface, every object, every piece of furniture participates in a visual argument that luxury should be theatrical, not restrained. The Faena is not for minimalists, but minimalism has enough hotels. This is the one that dares to be too much and makes it work.
Location
Mid-Beach, Miami
Insider Intel
Book an oceanfront room — the Atlantic view through the floor-to-ceiling windows is the one moment of simplicity in an otherwise baroque experience. Los Fuegos by Francis Mallmann for the open-fire Argentine cooking. The Faena Theatre for whatever is currently programmed — the cabaret-style performances are curated with genuine ambition. The pool and beach service maintain the theatrical standard. The spa is a Roman bath reimagined through an Argentine lens.
Art Basel week in early December when the hotel functions as a cultural salon and the lobbies fill with artists, dealers, and collectors. New Year's Eve programming is famously extravagant. The quieter midweek stays allow you to appreciate the design without the social performance. Summer rates are lower but the heat limits pool-to-beach transitions.
Located on Collins Avenue in Mid-Beach, between South Beach and North Beach. The hotel is part of the larger Faena District that includes the Faena Forum and Faena Bazaar — explore the full complex. Room rates are among Miami Beach's highest. The dress code is not enforced but the environment invites effort. Valet parking is the standard. The Damien Hirst mammoth in the lobby is real and cost fourteen million dollars, which tells you everything about the hotel's relationship with restraint. The beach service is private and excellent.