Fontainebleau Miami Beach recently debuted the complete redesign of its iconic all oceanfront suite—Sorrento Tower—offering guests the ultimate luxury experience with guestroom interiors designed by Marzipan Interior Design.
Built in 1948 and named after the coastal Italian town, the Sorrento Tower was once a stand-alone, Art Deco-designed hotel, which was later acquired by Fontainebleau. In its newly unveiled renovation, the suite’s interiors are inspired by the work of famed hotel designer Gio Ponti—known for his design in the Parco dei Principi hotel on the cliffs of Sorrento. The final product blurs the lines between Art Deco and midcentury modern while incorporating the tranquil colors of the sea.
“Fontainebleau continues to offer an exceptional variety of guestroom options throughout our four towers,” said Phil Goldfarb, president/COO, Fontainebleau Miami Beach. “In this renovation of the iconic Sorrento Tower, we really took guest feedback into consideration for the new design in order to better suit our guest’s evolving travel needs. Fontainebleau is synonymous with iconic architecture and design, and our continued investment in renovations allows us to offer a standout product that our guests come back for year after year, all while staying true to our rich history.”
Marzipan Interior Design drew inspiration from Gio Ponti’s design style for furnishings, lighting and accessories throughout the tower’s suites, while maintaining a neutral, serene color palette representative of the elements of the Atlantic Ocean, which can be clearly admired on each suite’s balcony. Featuring light and bright interiors, the rooms—comprising junior, one- and two-bedroom suites—were updated to increase function, including a leather embossed steamer trunk that serves as a minibar and drawers to accommodate additional storage.
Additional functional updates include extra seating in junior suites, new ceiling fixtures in one-bedroom suites to create a modern feel and new 55-inch LED flat-screen televisions and LED lighting.
Influenced by its Miami Beach setting, decor features a pearl and oyster theme, incorporating elements of sea and sand through standout pieces such as an area rug that embodies sand rippling below the water’s surface, as well as abstract artwork that conveys the horizon line over the ocean. New furniture pieces play tribute to 1950s Italy, such as lounge chair seating and retro lamps that complement the steamer trunk—an icon of the grand age of travel.
Complementing the guestrooms is the Sorrento Tower’s newly renovated lobby, designed by Marcy Garcia of MG Design Lab. The design direction for the lobby continues in the spirit of Italian midcentury design and is punctuated by several Gio Ponti-inspired pieces. A grand chandelier, ceiling pendants and various light sconces act as jewelry within the series of spaces. Each of these fixtures evoke the midcentury heyday of Miami Beach.
A refreshing and thoroughly modern color palette bridges the design into the 21st century. Crisp white wood paneling throughout the interior walls create the perfect backdrop for shades of aqua and cerulean blue—a combination that is reminiscent of the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
