Miami – Virgin Hotels plans to open and operate a new hotel in Miami, Florida. The hotel will be managed by Virgin Hotels, and developed by Blue Jay Capital, with BLUR Workshop as the architect. The hotel is slated to break ground in 2020 and open in 2023.
“I’m personally very passionate about this property, as it brings Virgin Hotels into a city that holds a great deal of significance for us. In addition to being my home, Miami is the headquarters of Virgin Hotels, so this is a milestone that has been a long time coming,” comments Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal. “Miami is one of our nation’s premier vacation and nightlife destinations and a major cultural hub. Our team cannot wait to make our mark here by bringing the Virgin Hotels experience to this lively city.”
In the heart of Downtown Miami’s Financial District, the hotel will be located at 1040 S. Miami Avenue in the Brickell neighborhood – a hotspot for locals and visitors alike. The new hotel will be in the center of this urban oasis and steps away from Brickell City Centre, a $1.05 billion shopping and mixed-use project in development.
The 40-story new-build hotel will feature 250 guestrooms, spa, over 15,000 square-feet of meeting and event space, multiple dining and drinking outlets, bar and modern social club, beer garden, and Funny Library Coffee Shop. The coffee shop will serve as a communal workspace that will house an assortment of whimsical and funny books and games. The hotel will also feature a three-story terraced rooftop complete with pool, lounge, and event space all designed to feel like a rooftop conservatory. Virgin Hotels Miami will honor the brand-wide “No Nickel and Diming” policy, which includes street-priced minibars, free WIFI, and zero resort fees, urban fees, or amenity fees.
The development will incorporate a residential component operated by Blue Jay Capital with 15 floors of furnished residential spaces consisting of 150 micro-units and co-living units. All residents will have access to Virgin Hotels Miami common spaces and amenities, and the design will be inspired by the signature Virgin Hotels look. With micro units under 400 square-feet and three to four-bedroom co-living units, this project marks Virgin Hotels’ foray into mixed use residential.
Notably, the development is planning to incorporate a car elevator system for valet parking as a nod to the future of transportation and to maximize the space available for amenity, entertainment, and office uses. Tapping into Virgin Group’s commitment to sustainability, the project will seek green building certifications, aiming to be one of the healthiest and lowest carbon consuming hotels.
The property joins Virgin Hotels’ rapidly growing roster, which includes Virgin Hotels Chicago, Virgin Hotels San Francisco, and Virgin Hotels Dallas, opening later this year. The brand has broken ground on four locations: New York, Nashville, New Orleans, and Edinburgh, UK. Forthcoming hotels have also been announced in Palm Springs and Silicon Valley, including the newest acquisition, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, which will be converted to Virgin Hotels in later 2020.
