1627-18 Interviews I1 mh HERBERT ROBINS, RETIRED BEACH HOTELIER 08/26/1989
THE MIAMI HERALD
Copyright (c) 1989, The Miami Herald
DATE: Saturday, August 26, 1989 EDITION: FINAL
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: 4B LENGTH: 40 lines
ILLUSTRATION: photo: Herbert H. Robins (n)
SOURCE/CREDIT LINE: LOURDES FERNANDEZ Herald Staff Writer
MEMO: DEATHS
HERBERT ROBINS, RETIRED BEACH HOTELIER
Herbert H. Robins, a Miami Beach hotelier for 34 years who sought to bring
tourism to the area even before he was a Florida resident, died Sunday. He was
82.
• Mr. Robins, who moved to Miami Beach in 1955, owned or managed several
hotels, including the Carillon, San Souci and Vanderbilt.
Before moving to Florida, he earned a business degree from City College
of New York and established a travel business in New York. He offered all
types of trips, from luxury Caribbean cruises to New York-to-California
railroad tours.
In 1939, he started promoting package tours to Miami. After World War II,
Miami Beach tours did so well that Mr. Robins decided to make his home here.
"He just believed in Miami Beach. He believed it was
viable, " said daughter Harriett Horowitz.
He was executive director of the Carillon Hotel from its opening in 1957
to 1974. With 620 rooms, it was Florida's largest resort hotel when it opened.
Mr. Robins also was part-owner of the Casablanca and San Souci hotels,
and president of the Madison Hotel.
He later founded Atlantic Cruise Lines of Miami, and was also a partner
in All Florida Resort Inns. The latter owns eight hotels in the state,
including Howard Johnsons in Hollywood Beach and Pompano Beach and the Gateway
Inn in Orlando.
For 10 years, Mr. Robins was president of the South Florida Motel and
Hotel Association, and served on the Miami Beach Tourist Development Authority
in the 1970s. He retired five years ago.
In addition to daughter Harriett, Mr. Robins is survived by wife Lottie,
daughters Barbara Miller and Shirley Posner, son Allan Strahl, 10
grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services were held at Blasberg Funeral Chapel.
KEYWORDS: OBITUARY