- Bathrooms
- Towels
- Telephone with VoiceMail
- Satellite television
- Air Conditioning
- Ceiling Fans
- Refrigerator
Rooms include:
History
How We Started
The very distinctive peachy-pink Clay Hotel was originally built in 1925, as a precursor to the Art Deco period of the 1930s, and was intended as a haven for artists and bohemian types.
Al Capone
One of the Clay Hotel’s most notorious claims to fame (and there are quite a few) is the presence here of the infamous gangster Al Capone in the early 1930s. It is said he ran his gambling ring from here. Al Capone was known to be a dangerous, violent gang lord, but he and his circle were so slick that he could never be charged with any of his crimes. Finally, he was arrested for the only crime the authorities could prove: tax evasion. He was sentenced to 11 years, was jailed in 1932 and released after 6 years for good behaviour.
When Al Capone was finally arrested, a film based loosely on his life was made, titled Scarface. It began to be filmed right here in Miami, until the filmmakers received threats from the mafia. The rest of the filming was moved back to Los Angeles, but parts of Miami can be seen in some scenes of the film. Miami is in general a favourite spot of filmmakers, due to the weather, the architecture and the fact that it is so incredible photogenic. It has been immortalised in many songs, a recent one of which is Will Smith’s “Miami”, the video of which fully incorporated Miami’s Latin vibe.
Miami Vice
Following in the same tradition, the most famous piece of filming to feature the Clay Hotel were episodes of the 1980s police show, Miami Vice. The Clay’s unique backdrop was used in both the pilot episode and the final episode of the first season, and, overnight from the first showing, the Clay Hotel became instantly recognised and hugely popular as a place to stay in Miami. Interestingly, the bright and crazy colours of the whole district only came into being because of Miami Vice. The makers decided they would prefer more wacky buildings to give the show some character, and, after filming, the South Beach building owners decided to either keep the colours, or, if their building was left as it was, to paint it themselves!
Desi Arnaz’s Rumba!
The Clay Hotel was also the focal starting point of the rumba craze that swept America! In the late 1930s, world-famous musician Desi Arnaz was living and working in Miami as a professional Afro-Cuban jazz musician, after fleeing Cuba with his parents as a child. He came to play in the Clay Hotel, and a storm of Cuban rumba began! Desi Arnaz is attributed with introducing the Conga line to North America, which is named after the conga drums used in Cuban music and is popular all over the world to this day. After starting this new phase of music and dance in Miami, Desi Arnaz moved back to New York where he had studied, and went on to become famous in music and film production, and to marry Lucille Ball.
Ricky Martin
Most recently, the Clay Hotel can be seen in Ricky Martin’s new video for the song Non Siamo Soli with Eros Ramazzotti. Click here to see the video and get a good look at Miami!
