Versace opens a super hotel with an Italian restaurant. Here's what Donatella Hotel & Restaurant in Miami will be like

With six rooms and a restaurant, the Donatella Boutique Hotel & Restaurant promises to bring a touch of Italian flair to the heart of Miami's Art Deco District. The 'Donatella' referenced in the name is Donatella Versace, the one and only, a fashion designer recently retired (sic!) with a passion for luxury and good food, at least according to the many stories about her. A pop icon, symbolising a sunny and indulgent Italy, she stepped down from the creative direction of the Medusa just in time to bless the return of her brand to the Bel Paese (a rare occurrence in an era when even the most iconic brands go abroad), purchased for €1.25 billion by the Prada group. She has imposed her style worldwide, also thanks to her branded hotels in Dubai and Macau, overcoming the doubts raised when she succeeded her brother Gianni, who was assassinated right in Miami at the entrance of the Versace Mansion, now also a hotel and restaurant (respectively Casa Casuarina and Gianni’s) owned by the Nakash group, the same behind Donatella, which arises from the collaboration with Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group.

Versace, Miami, and the dining table

Donatella's connection to the city is therefore very strong, also reinforced by friendships with international celebrities, often solidified over a plate of pasta with clams, among her favourites, obviously present this time as well, according to Eater, on the menu signed by Campanian chef Alessandro Morrone, who spent the last year selecting the best of Made in Italy to create a "Southern Italian coastal culinary destination" with octopus salad, red prawn carpaccio, black truffle cacio e pepe, and other dishes relying on high-quality ingredients. And this will make the difference, assures Eater's Jamil Dib (co-founder and owner of Vida & Estilo Hospitality Group), who emphasises: "we want to be fair with customers and the community, paying a fair price for the most extraordinary products. With all these massive restaurant openings, you can't go out to eat for less than $150 or $200: we don't want to do that." No good products at low prices, in short, but what is commonly called value-based pricing. In an environment – needless to say – very refined and luxurious, which seems to abandon the opulence and typical mosaics of the maison to embrace a more understated style, played on soft lines, neutral tones, expressive materials: "natural stone, warm wood, and golden accents, creating a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere." Neo-Mediterranean elegance: this is how Joe Nakash defines it. With Donatella (described not by chance as the ideal twin of the former Versace Mansion), he confirms the interest of fashion houses – read large groups – in the world of hospitality. We'll talk about it again.

Photo: The Louis Collection by Eater