Congress Hotel | Clevelander

Congress Hotel

Built in 1936, the Congress Hotel is a prime example of a standard small Art Deco construction building. The hotel gets its style from the inherited designs of the 1925 Parisian World Expo. The World Expo became a very popular benchmark for the Art Deco era of 1935 and was the inspiration behind much of the architecture and design of new buildings erected in Miami Beach throughout the 1950s. Symbolic designs of the Parisian Art Deco featured on the Congress Hotel include the symmetry of its front facade, in which if you fold the building in half it’s the same on both sides, but still features a taller middle section. The ledges over the windows are not only iconic in style but serve a purpose at the same time. Commonly referred to as a building’s “eyebrows” the ledges provide shade over the windows since many of the buildings did not have air conditioning. The “frozen fountain” design was the symbol of the 1925 World Expo, as you can see it has been painted on the front façade of the building. Like many other South Beach hotels, the Congress Hotel only stands three stories high. Regulations stated that if a building wanted to be over three stories it had to have an elevator installed, and to avoid the added cost of an elevator many builders opted to keep their buildings to three stories.

Clevelander

So over here on the right we have the Clevelander which as well as being a huge outdoor bar, is a studio for ESPN. Fun fact is that this outdoor bar makes more than the majority of hotels in south beach, in food and beverage alone. 

Originally owned by the Ratner family of Cleveland, Ohio, The Clevelander was constructed in 1938 by Albert Anis. After further renovations in the 1950’s, the hotel gained an outdoor pool area. This pool area has been the hotel’s bread and butter, even more so than the actual hotel itself. This has changed however, since the much anticipated re-opening of The Clevelander Hotel.

Always known as a great place to party, The Clevelander has created a number of different spots on the property that encourage the wild and crazy atmosphere. A sidewalk cafe puts guests right on Ocean Drive and in the hub of the action. There is not one, not two, but three patios that offers guests a poolside retreat, each complete with bars. In terms of entertainment, The Clevelander boasts a sports bar and night club. This hotel is literally a one stop shop for good times, new friends and entertainment.