FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.—Ikona Hotel, formerly the Shell Motel located at 3030 Bayshore Drive in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, announced today its opening its doors following a multi-million dollar renovation that simultaneously restored key features of the midcentury modern building while modernizing the interior design with smart technology and stylish amenities. Ikona Hotel is part of the new Gzella Collection, a group of beachside hotels spearheading the boutique hotel movement in Fort Lauderdale Beach.
Ikona Hotel is Gzella Collection’s signature beachside retreat. Designed by the Travel Channel’s Blanche Garcia, an interior designer on the popular show “Hotel Impossible,” Ikona is a fashionable yet low-key escape.
Conceived as a contemporary re-imagination of a seaside cottage, Ikona’s ambiance is clearly apparent in its 24 stylishly designed deluxe rooms, family apartment suites and well-appointed penthouses. The rooms include custom-made modern furnishings, premium amenities such as Nespresso coffee makers and Oasis Collection cotton sheets, and natural finishings such as exposed wood and sleek metals. The three-story hotel overlooks a private pool and courtyard garden with indoor and outdoor event space including a second-level balcony overlooking the ocean.
Ikona’s sister properties, the Fortuna Hotel which opened this summer and Mirra Hotel scheduled for 2017, round out the Gzella Collection portfolio. Collectively, the properties showcase individual charm and unique personalities while introducing South Florida travelers to a new level of custom experiences and service intimacy found only in boutique lodging.
The Gzella Collection Hotels are situated steps away from the golden sand beaches of Fort Lauderdale and in the heart of the beach “scene” with water sports and activities, oceanfront bars and nightlife. The hotels’ prime location sets them at the center of everything happening between the Las Olas shopping district, home to luxury retailers, world-class art galleries and al-fresco dining, and the nearby Galleria Mall anchored by Neiman Marcus.
Family-owned by Polish entrepreneur and real estate investor Miroslaw Gzella, and operated by co-founder and family member Pawel Plata, the hotels within the Gzella Collection take pride on their individuality.
“Visual whimsy is in short supply among the sober high-rise hotels of Fort Lauderdale Beach,” points out Pawel Plata, co-founder of Gzella Collection. “Today’s independent-minded travelers are seeking local adventures and authentic experiences at properties equally intimate and personalized services that are hard to find at big hotel chains.”
Fortuna Hotel, formerly the Seaside Motel located at 350 N Birch Road in Fort Lauderdale, was Gzella Collection’s first hotel to open to the public in 2016. The pet friendly property’s colorful atmosphere and personalized guest services for all ages and types of travelers make it the ideal place for a family vacation.
Fortuna Hotel’s bright and whimsical personality shows throughout its 35 guest rooms, two private pools, a sunlit lobby and exuberant outdoor spaces, including a poolside lawn area with oversized bean bags. The hotel is completely redesigned and thoughtfully appointed to draw travelers from around the world. Some of the hotel’s other unique features include a poolside shower that doubles as a surfboard and fun beach pop-art paintings in bright primary colors, accompanied by quirky bed and chair pillows featuring jungle monkeys and palm trees.
The property’s original architecture pays tribute to the destination’s history while the rooms’ midcentury modern decor elevate the guest experience and honor the different needs of today’s modern traveler.
