Gaurav Bhushan, Co-CEO of Ennismore, on Delano opening in Dubai and why the design concept leaves you feeling like you’ve had a vacation, without the need to . When Delano swept onto the scene in the mid-90s, it instantly ignited Miami – and lifestyle hospitality as we know it today – thanks to its avant-garde approach to hospitality and design. The recent opening of Delano Dubai and the upcoming return of Delano Miami Beach mark the next chapter in the brand’s evolution.
Today’s Delano embodies and elevates the brand’s unmistakable aesthetic and stylistic signatures that devotees know and love, while ushering in a new era of luxury lifestyle hospitality that feels both referential yet fresh and exciting. Philippe Starck’s design for the original Delano was iconic. The interiors of Delano Dubai capture the chic, understated styling of the Miami original.
However, in keeping with the forward-looking spirit of Delano, we wanted to ensure that it was not simply a reproduction nor a time capsule. Starck’s approach to hospitality design at the time was undeniably groundbreaking, and we looked to capture that disruptive spirit to create a hotel that felt entirely relevant and contemporary yet singularly Delano. Brand signatures have been reimagined to imbue them with a bold sense of place and time.
The hotel’s discrete,low-slung exterior is marked by a verdant manicured topiary that harks back to South Beach’s infamous hedge, and the classic ‘apple a day’ am.