AKA has revealed the design transformation of the 36-story Hotel AKA Brickell, located in the Brickell neighborhood at the Brickell Arch at 1395 Brickell Ave.
After acquiring the 201-key property in 2021, AKA has invested $16 million into the property with a design reimagination led by architecture firm Gabellini Sheppard Associates (Gabellini Sheppard) and includes:
- An elevated, personalized sense of arrival that meets guests with a fluid and seamless welcome experience within the porte cochere that leads into the calming new lobby
- A spacious lounge that feels like a sophisticated oasis after exiting the elevator on the 25th floor
- An epicurean delight in ADRIFT Mare, a restaurant and bar by Michelin-starred Chef David Myers
“AKA’s continuous journey is what inspires me every day and one of the most significant milestones of that journey is with what we envisioned and evolved at Hotel AKA Brickell,” said Larry Korman, CEO, AKA. “We transformed a very corporate design, reimagined it with what AKA is known for, and brought life to the property by adding an atmosphere AKA guests expect. We made sure that in every new space, guests could feel the calm.”
Prior to the renovations, guests had to travel to the 25th floor to enter the lobby whereas now guests are immediately transported the moment they step onto the property with a serene outdoor greeting area for guests to enjoy while they wait for a car service which then leads into the newly designed, ground floor lobby that is lined with light-oak wood-paneled walls and reflected by satin bronze mirrors.
After check-in, guests ascend to the newly debuted 25th floor where they enter Hotel AKA Brickell’s lounge that feels more like a floating living room with views of the Miami skyline and lush tropical greenery surrounding the space. Expansive windows that wrap around almost the entire floor bring in Miami’s warmth and harness an abundance of natural daylight throughout the day into the night, especially at golden hour. Custom patterned stone ebbs and flows across the floors, reminiscent of waves, adding an organic element to this magnificently designed lounge.
“We were so excited to work with AKA as we have a very similar aesthetic and design philosophy including incorporating sustainable design principles,” said Michael Gabellini, partner, Gabellini Sheppard, who was personally involved in every step of the redesign and renovation. “Both Larry and I were able to take our collaborative approaches and infuse so much of what we both envisioned for Hotel AKA Brickell.”
One of the most exciting components of the design unveiling is the debut of ADRIFT Mare, the restaurant and bar by Michelin-starred Chef David Myers that opened this summer. The restaurant is set in an 11-story atrium with dynamic views of Brickell and Biscayne Bay. A custom installation of more than 100 ethereal lanterns is suspended from the eatery’s ceiling, situated at varying heights, and interspersed in clustered arrangements to emit an ambient glow. The concept also features an exclusive private dining room reminiscent of the interior of a luxury yacht, where cove lighting inside gold and silver-leafed clouds float overhead, giving the intimate space a surreal feel.
Other amenities at Hotel AKA Brickell include a rooftop with a pool and adjacent Sky Bar + Grill; an enhanced Technogym fitness center; a spa (Leaf Spa) and a sprawling open-air event space known as the Sky Lawn.
