1675-17 Raleigh Hotelt . . —
The suittitiu Tetesrttilh
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travel.telegraph.co.uk
NOVEMBER 02 2003 I .. ..MMTM
The shock of thnew
Modernising a favourite hotel doesn't have to be a disaster, as literary agent Ed Victor discovered in Miami
t is hard to admit this,but I—a"rad
..;,
ical"in my youth—have now reached
an age where I deplore nearly all ,;•'.):*.••• •••-...'...'x:
change. And I especially hate change } • f
in my favourite hotels and res , • ,,� .�., �'`
taurants.After all,many of the good ,:.::..:-:::.::::.::::*.:,"*.•:.'. Y
things in life revolve around the idea of
<i h
returningregularly to the things we enjoy % -4.,e
°0 ' '�" � '
landscapes,towns,rooms,paintings and 3c`' .+� s.X ;:: �,
even people. :.';;:• : ,�,i : '�. .�•.. .�. •�:'^'�, �:
P P ,r., .. .. ..: 4 1' . . , .ws'
In the case of travel,familiar hotels and .•` '� � 4 ,;� •
restaurants can become the cornerstone of • • 'f• "¢•x.: ''w Ay
a visit to a particular cityfixed stars in an •� • {• b r �� }
ever-changing constellation of develop- •• { •o••y, }
ment"and"modernisation."We love a
hotel not simply for what it is,but for what o r
it represents for us—the essential expert .:.,......:::::::,i.:•:::,:•:.: „.••:;:.„,„:„;. r•^f'" u :,xz }
ences we had and treasured when we last • < ° f { 4,
stayed there. . ::: f
To find an old friend—for that is how I • : r
regard the hotels and restaurants I have • .•: .1
learnt to love during my travels—altered ).-.•
y
even slightly is for me often a very depress- r
w
ing experience. S:
The first hotel ruined for me by so-called {'.>$
"modernisation"was the La Mamounia in '
Marrakesh. I originally stayed there in yOk
1976,when the lobby was still just as it was
when Winston Churchill was a guest-all a :�. 0K?: n
wicker chairs and slowly turning wooden ;c�'�`
`'` �{ h :
ceiling fans.Divine.Until someone had the �fi:
bright idea of sprucing it up,installing . :. ..
'3n. " ,�%� ,� h
some colourful plastics,so that it lost all its fib
deep colonial character and became just .'1 c
another stop off for blue haired American
tourists on bus tours of Morocco. ^ "'•` }
Another favourite retreat over the years, rk., .:.::::..!.:.*:-::.:.:i.:::.-:- <
the Beverly Hills Hotel,was recently given
a ghastly facelift,which virtually erased its 1..il. .... ,x.= . .. :...... ::: .
.:.1
�••.
signature over-the-top decor.Even LA's
celebrated Polo Lounge has lost the kitsch
ion.FIY 'tANF';AIAMv7
I
chic that so defined it,while in London,the Esther Williams,the 1940s aquatic actress, breakfast in a tropical courtyard,sur-
stately restaurant in the Connaught Hotel— momorably described by her agent with the rounded by palms and flowers. Maybe next
for all that Gordon Ramsay is a great chef— phrase: "Wet,she was a star!" time we'll stay there.
has also sadly been"updated". The hotel was recently bought by Andre But sometimes,even grumpy reaction-
There are,of course,exceptions.The Balazs,one of America's most interesting aries such as me long to experiment with
complete redecoration of the Bel-Air Hotel hoteliers,who also owns the Mercer in New something new,so I asked the Raleigh's
in Los Angeles,for example,was achieved York,the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles unfailingly helpful staff to book me into the
without anyone first noticing that it was and the Sunset Motel on Shelter Island "hottest"restaurant in South Beach.They
going on or,later,that it had been done. near the Hamptons.Balazs is one of those chose Casa Tua,where I took our friends
li Much the same goes for La Gazelle d'Or in rare hotel people who cares passionately Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft to
Taroudant,Morocco,where constant about how he treats the historic buildings dinner.They swore Casa Tua was the best
updating has only intensified,rather than he runs. restaurant they had found in Miami for
dissipated,the experience of luxuriating His attitude to change is simple: he does years.
I there. absolutely everything he needs to do to the Next day we walked from the Raleigh
I I had a chance to observe the process of fabric of the building to make it function as through the most colourful South Beach
I change in action when I visited Miami a first-rate hotel,but at the same time pre- spots,stopping to have breakfast at the
recently,a city I had not seen for many serves its atmosphere and soul. In the case News Cafe,where poor Gianni Versace had
years.This is a place where the process of of the Mercer,he scooped out the inside of his last cappuccino before being murdered
change is a permanent state of affairs,both an old New York warehouse and built on the steps of his huge mansion a few
1 in its social and ethnic mix,and in the within it an ultra-modern,highly funct- yards along Ocean Avenue—now a sort of
pounding its old buildings have been tak- tional hotel—but the building still shrine for tourists.Another stroll took us to
ing from developers since the 1920s. absolutely fits its Soho setting. Lincoln Road,a pedestrian mall full of
I decided to stay in South Beach,the At the Chateau Marmont in LA—another fabulous shops and outdoor cafes.This was
city's most colourful and vibrant district, old favourite of mine—he updated virtually very much new Miami,and demanding
and one where change is carefully managed every surface(and,having stayed there in with it,but after years of travel I have found
and has been—contrary to my usual fears the late 1970s,I can attest to the fact that that the best way to explore cities overdos-
-largely for the best.South Beach is full of they needed some serious updating)but ing on change is from the stable base of a
distinctive Art Deco buildings erected in kept the rooms and lobbies looking virtu- familiar,comfortable hotel.Perhaps the
the 1930s,many of them now gloriously ally the same. Raleigh will become for me—like the
restored and concentrated in a mile-square The Raleigh was a perfect base from Regency in New York,the Bel-Air in Los
historic district. which to explore the city,which in my case Angeles and the Hessischer Hof in Frank-
I chose the Raleigh Hotel on Collins Ave- meant trying to eat at the best restaurants furt—another oasis of calm in the midst of
nue,based on strong recommendations and playing the best golf courses.The first 21st-century urban turmoil.I hope so.
from friends(to my mind always the best night we went to Joe's Stone Crab,which
way to choose a hotel or restaurant).The provided another chance to look at a place
other candidates were Chris Blackwell's which has resisted the temptation to 1
Marlin Hotel or Ian Schrager's Delano, change a winning formula.Founded 1913. essential s ---9111111
both fabulous Deco buildings where exten- it is a Miami institution,celebrated for its
sive changes have been carried out,but mountains of fresh Florida stone crab claws Getting there
Raleigh Hotel,1775 Collins Avenue,Miami
with absolute respect for the architectural and Joe's special mustard sauce—if you Beach,Florida 33139(001 305 534 6300;
and decorative essence of these great have never tried them,you still have some- www.raleighhotel.com);city-view double rooms
monuments. thing to live for... from£80;with ocean-view doubles from
£110.Hotel Bel-Air(001 800 648 4097;
i The Raleigh was built in 194-0 by the Then,for further confirmation that www.hotelbelair.com);from£115 per person.
ultimate Miami architect,Lawrence Murray change really isn't always for the best,we Seasons in Style(0151 342 0505;
wwwseasonsinstyle.co.uk)offers four nights'
Dixon,many of whose hotel and apartment played golf at another splendid Miami half board at La Gazelle d'Or from£1,165,
buildings define the jazzy"Moderne"style institution,the Biltmore Hotel in Coral including flights and transfers.
ue
of Miami Beach.It is a perfect little Art Gables.This grandiose pile,built in the Joe's670St3ne Crab.11 Washington m).AveCasa
0365:www.jcestonecrab.com).Casa
Deco"skyscraper",with probably the most 1920s,is another hotel that still envelops Tua.1700 James Avenue(673 1010;
beautiful swimming pool in the city.It is you in the aura of the past.We wandered in www.southbeach-usa.com).News Cafe,800
Ocean Drive(538 6397;www.newscafe.corn).
said to have been the favourite pool of the vast cathedral-like lobby and had
THE RALEIGH 1775 COLLINS AVENUE MIAMI BEACH FL 33139 PHONE 800 848 1775 RALEIGHHOTEL.COM
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