History

Our colorful past

Rumba, dancing, gambling, Miami Vice, art deco . . . There is history in every corner of The Clay Hotel, reminding us of the colorful layers belonging to South Beach's past. Notoriously, the mafia don Al Capone located his gambling ring at The Clay Hotel in the 1930's. Later, Desi Amaz created the rumba craze here, sweeping the country up in a toe-jamming, dance frenzy Right outside our door, on Washington Avenue and beyond, step into Miami Beach's art deco style, perfectly preserved in all its pastel beauty and distinctive 1930's architecture. Today, the historic Clay Hotel welcomes everyone from students to movie stars. Don Johnson, Sylvester Stallone and Elton John have all experienced the special atmosphere at The Clay Hotel, and filmed their movies and music videos here, including the pilot for Miami Vice and numerous other episodes. Celebrities aside, The Clay Hotel's most important guests continue to be the visitors who come from all over the world to experience the international allure of The Clay Hotel's Old World ambiance and the sultry, tropical magic of South Beach