Discover the Unique Florida Hotel by Diesel’s Founder Featuring Top Italian Dining in Miami Beach

Pelican Hotel Overview

Rooms at the Pelican Hotel go for under $200 a night. A most welcome last-minute invitation to the South Beach Food & Wine Festival recently brought me to sunny Miami from rainy Los Angeles. I chose the Pelican Hotel on Ocean Avenue for its convenient location near the events and caught a quick glance of the hotel’s crisp green and white exterior adorned with Art Deco-style lettering before I stepped inside. The Pelican resembled the many small hotels on the avenue boasting outdoor dining along the bustling sidewalk.

The restaurant stands out both outside and inside, with beautifully set tables dominating the lobby area. A well-stocked bar caught my eye next, leading me to a small reception area positioned off to the side. My room was ready, and the charming Lorenz checked me into room 309, where I was immediately greeted by a bright orange fur club chair and a wall painted in wild yellow and green wavy stripes. This was one of my first hints that this hotel was something uniquely different.

Owned by Renzo Rosso, the founder of the Italian fashion brand Diesel, the hotel underwent a complete renovation and reopened late in 2022. Rosso purchased the hotel in 1990, and his son, Andrea Rosso, coordinated the transformative project over two years. Each of the 32 rooms is unique, boasting its own name and decor inspired by retro movie themes, enhanced by cheeky vintage furniture.

Unique Room Designs

During my stay, I explored several other rooms, including the penthouse where Rosso resides while in Miami. This expansive outdoor terrace, furnished with palm trees and lounges, overlooks Ocean Drive. Inside, features include a curved white sofa, mirrored coffee table, framed Warhol paintings of the Beatles, shiny chrome light fixtures, and a bright orange table with chairs. Uniquely, a round window between the living room and bedroom serves as a tropical fish tank, while a chrome-framed panther tapestry hangs above the bed, complemented by intricate stained glass windows.

Other distinctive rooms include “Old Glory,” featuring a framed vintage Diesel banner and pale blue denim walls. The “Me Tarzan, You Vain” room showcases zebra stripes alongside a leopard cub painting, bamboo-framed mirror, and a striped woven nightstand. In the “Go Bananas” room, vivid palm designs decorate the walls and the fabric of the rattan furniture. The aviation-themed room features engine parts serving as nightstand bases, and each bathroom’s tile work complements the room’s unique colors with exquisite detail.

Dining Experience

My sister joined me on this exciting trip, and we enjoyed dinner at the Pelican Café. Our outside table on the upper level provided the ideal vantage point to watch the vibrant flow of South Beach locals and visitors. Being lovers of Italian cuisine, we delightfully listened to the wait staff conversing in the language of our favorite travel destination. Our dinner, ranging from burrata with ripe cherry tomatoes and cantaloupe with prosciutto to tiramisu and pistachio ice cream, proved exceptional. Our server, Andrea, suggested the perfect wine from Naples, leading us to agree that Pelican Café deserves recognition as one of Miami’s premier Italian dining establishments.

Chef Giancarlo “Wendy” Cacciatori, renowned for his eateries in Miami and New York, oversees the kitchen. He brings culinary expertise from his native Emilia Romagna. The all-day menu features seasonal dishes, pastas, seafood, and traditional Italian cuisine with a modern interpretation.

Guest Services

The hotel provides complimentary beach chairs and towels, a daily aperitivo hour, turndown housekeeping, and a mini-bar featuring refreshments. The staff members contribute significantly to the fun and casual experience of the hotel. We relished getting to know several team members during our stay, including Ilenia, who shared that she would soon be heading to Puglia, Italy, to work at Borgo Egnazia — known as one of the best resorts in Italy — for the season.

Our stay at the Pelican Hotel truly enhanced our Miami experience during the South Beach Food & Wine Festival. Spending a few nights in the vibrant “Psychedelic(ate) Girl” room was a memorable adventure, and we look forward to returning next year to experience another uniquely whimsical room.