EXCLUSIVE: The Delano Hotel Is Back With a New Paris Location
PARIS – The Delano is back.
Three years after its original location in Miami’s South Beach district closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, the hotel is opening its first overseas outpost in Paris, marking the start of an international rollout that will see further locations, including in the South Korean capital Seoul.
More from WWD
The French branch, known as Maison Delano Paris, is located in an 18th century mansion that was formerly home to the Buddha-Bar Hotel. Following a two-year renovation, it’s bowing officially on April 1 alongside a restaurant headed by Michelin-starred Spanish chef Dani García, as well as a cocktail bar.
Emmanuel Isaia, director of communication and public relations of Maison Delano, says the five-star hotel, which features 56 rooms including 19 suites, seeks to capture the atmosphere of the original Miami venue that was opened by Ian Schrager in 1995 in a historic Art Deco building.
“It redefined the concept of lifestyle hotel because that didn’t really exist in the ‘90s. People came to a hotel to sleep and to eat, and then left. The Delano made an impact by creating an environment where you could spend time even if you weren’t a guest at the hotel,” Isaia says.
Madonna, originally a part owner of the Delano South Beach’s Blue Door restaurant, famously celebrated her 37th birthday there with a party attended by Donatella Versace.
Known for its all-white rooms designed by Philippe Starck and its palm tree-lined pool, the hotel was a magnet for celebrities including George Clooney, Beyoncé and Lenny Kravitz, who designed a basement bar and lounge, the Florida Room, that opened in 2007.
While the Paris hotel represents a fresh start, there are nods to the original, namely the minimalist room décor, which contrasts with the retro-tinged spirit of the Mediterranean restaurant, La Chambre Bleue, and the warm leather tones of the Delano Bar — all by Spanish interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán.
“The linen drapes and bedding, which are custom-made, recall those in Miami. It’s intentionally bare. There will be some decorative objects, but we really wanted to keep that white, minimalist vibe, even though the moldings give the location a Parisian feel, since we’re in a private mansion that was built in 1734,” Isaia says.
The building, set around an inner courtyard, is located on Rue d’Anjou in the 8th arrondissement, in a high-security area that is also home to the British embassy, the U.S. ambassador’s residence and the Elysée presidential palace.
Delano is betting on a convivial and unpretentious approach, though with a 200-member staff, it aims to equal the level of personalized service of nearby establishments such as La Réserve. “Clients today are exacting and well-informed, and will not return if they’ve been disappointed,” Isaia cautions.
Prices start at 800 euros for a deluxe room and 5,400 euros for the presidential suite, an apartment spanning more than 2,000 square feet that boasts restored 18th-century painted ceilings, contemporary furniture by Cassina and art works furnished by Opera Gallery. It combines the hotel’s two biggest suites and can serve as a VIP showroom or event space.
“We’ve received a lot of enquiries from people who were already clients at Delano in Miami and who really wanted to be present at the opening,” Isaia says, noting that U.S. travelers are expected to make up the largest national contingent, followed by those from Northern Europe and the Middle East.
The property of Qatar-based Katara Hospitality, which also owns The Peninsula Paris and Le Royal Monceau — Raffles Paris, Delano is operated by Ennismore, a lifestyle hospitality group whose brands include Mama Shelter, The Hoxton, Mondrian and 25hours Hotels.
Ennismore, which is majority-owned by French hotel group Accor, has a portfolio of 130 hotels in 40 countries, and more than 150 restaurants and nightlife destinations. And it’s growing fast, with 157 hotels in the pipeline, including five for Delano, beginning with the Seoul location set to open in 2026 — although there are no plans to reopen South Beach at present.
“The brand is being reborn here. We will become the flagship for the rest of the world, so we’re establishing the codes that will be taken up elsewhere,” Isaia says.
With its inner patio, which can be covered in winter, the 170-seat Chambre Bleue is positioned to become another dining hotspot in a city with a booming gastronomic scene. Among its attractions is an open kitchen with a row of hubs for paella pans, lined with ceramic wall tiles specially designed by Spanish artisanal ceramics maker Art Antic L’Alcora.
For his first venue in France, García — whose restaurant empire includes Smoked Room in Madrid and Dubai, as well as Casa Dani in New York City — has developed a menu based on fish, seafood and other Iberian specialties such as Bellota ham. The restaurant bar will offer a selection of cocktails named after paintings from Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period.
The adjoining Delano Bar, which can be accessed directly from the street, features art works by the likes of Damien Hirst, Umberto Mariani and Yasmina Alaoui in an intimate atmosphere. Isaia has already fielded requests from luxury brands keen to work with the hotel. “The houses are extremely receptive to it. Everyone in fashion knows the Delano,” he says.
Best of WWD
Solve the daily Crossword
