Commune Hotels & Resorts Announces First Thompson Hotels Property in Miami Beach

SAN FRANCISCO, May 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Commune Hotels & Resorts, the international lifestyle hotel management company comprising Joie de Vivre Hotels, Thompson Hotels and tommie, announces the opening of the newest Thompson hotel, Thompson Miami Beach. Following a multi-million dollar renovation, the hotel will open in late 2014 to be Miami's first Thompson property.  Located at 4041 Collins Avenue, the 380-room beachfront property will showcase the creative talents of chef Michelle Bernstein – the James Beard Foundation Award-winning Miami native known for her guest appearances on Top Chef, Iron Chef America, and The Today Show – combined with the trendsetting know-how of Miami's KNR Hospitality Group. The result will be an array of sophisticated and dynamic dining and nightlife experiences that draws visitors and locals alike.

"Thompson Miami Beach, as with all Thompson hotels, is designed to inspire and to engage our guests in bold, yet approachable experiences reflective of the hotel's locale," says Niki Leondakis, CEO of Commune Hotels & Resorts. "Together with celebrated hometown chef Michelle Bernstein, we are thrilled to offer guests a diverse and engaging collection of hospitality, dining and nightlife options in one of the most coveted areas of Miami Beach."

Thompson Miami Beach – designed by globally revered designer Martin Brudnizki in collaboration with Kobi Karp Architects – will preserve the building's original art deco features and 1950s architecture and exude casual glamour with bohemian flair. Guestrooms and suites will blend beach-inspired appointments and mid-century, international resort style. The hotel will feature two indoor/outdoor restaurants, two pools, a spa with six treatment rooms, a fitness center, 24-hour in-room dining, lush, tropical gardens and lounges with ocean views. The hotel's Library Bar will offer an intimate environment where guests can unwind and discover rare spirits and fine wines, while the adjacent lounge will be an electric late-night venue. A prohibition throwback, the historic 1920's House will be humming with music and conversation and provide top-notch cocktails and inspired snacks.  The ideal destination for business or pleasure, Thompson Miami Beach's approximately 47,000 square feet of venue space will be flexible to accommodate upscale events and functions of various sizes.

Chef Michelle Bernstein will open a 267-seat classic brasserie with a focus on locally sourced bounty from both the land and sea, flared with Floridian influences. Chef Bernstein's yet-to-be-named restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, while also providing poolside and bar service, and a selection of items for in-room dining and on-site catering. Guests will dine comfortably in a casual, neighborly atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating that exemplifies the vibe of Miami Beach.

In partnership with Chef Bernstein, KNR Hospitality Group's Karim Masri and Nicola Siervo – industry innovators and staples of Miami Beach's most popular restaurants and nightlife destinations – will develop and cultivate the food and beverage concepts of Thompson Miami Beach. Together, the team will craft the atmosphere and mood of each venue, with Chef Bernstein focused on food preparations and Masri and Siervo on the beverage and nightlife offerings. Widely credited for sparking the area's resurgence, 'superhosts' Masri and Siervo continue to be trendsetting impresarios in the culinary and nightlife landscape, owning and operating award-winning restaurants and popular nightlife concepts in the area.

To learn more about Commune Hotels & Resorts, visit www.communehotels.com and for more information on Thompson Hotels, visit www.thompsonhotels.com. Follow @CommuneHotels and @ThompsonHotels on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for news and updates from both.

About Thompson Hotels

Founded in 2001, Thompson Hotels is an international hospitality company that offers sophisticated luxury to its discerning clientele.  The Thompson portfolio of lifestyle hotels includes Gild Hall and Smyth Tribeca in New York City; the famed Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles; the recently opened Thompson Chicago; Thompson Toronto and Belgraves in London. Thompson Hotels also has multiple new projects in development, including Thompson Miami Beach, Thompson Los Cabos and Thompson Playa del Carmen. For more information, please visit www.thompsonhotels.com.

About Commune Hotels & Resorts

Formed in October 2011, Commune Hotels & Resorts is an international, multi-brand lifestyle hotel management company which manages and operates Thompson Hotels, a luxury lifestyle brand; Joie de Vivre Hotels, a collection of independently branded boutique hotels; and tommie, a new, youthfully-minded brand launching in 2015. The San Francisco-based company manages more than 40 hotels and resorts across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, and is expanding its portfolio while establishing a presence in Mexico. For more information, please visit www.communehotels.com.

About Michelle Bernstein

Chef Bernstein opened her first restaurant, Michy's, with her husband David Martinez in Miami in 2005 and the couple also own local-favorite, Crumb on Parchment, which opened in the Miami Design District in 2011. In addition to managing her restaurants and making frequent appearances on national television, Chef Bernstein continues to host her PBS weekly television series, Check, Please! South Florida.

About KNR Hospitality Group

Innovators in the hospitality industry, partners Karim Masri and Nicola Siervo of KNR Hospitality Group develop and operate hospitality concepts that transform restaurant, nightlife and hotel food and beverage facilities into thriving, high profile destinations.  Together they have helped shape the image and affluence of Miami Beach hotels, restaurants and nightlife in the early days of its transformation in the '90s, and their partnership continues to flourish and evolve.   Overseeing food & beverage operations at the W South Beach Hotel & Residences, including James Beard Award winning Manhattan restaurateur Andrew Carmellini's popular restaurant, The Dutch, nightlife icons WET and Living Room, and creating the esteemed restaurant Quattro Gastronomia Italiana on Lincoln Road in South Beach and at J.W. Marriott in Mexico City, Masri and Siervo have earned rave reviews and accolades for their various outlets.  Most recently, the dynamic duo has joined forces with another high profile celebrity, famed fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, overseeing day-to-day operations of his first U.S. culinary concept, Cavalli Miami Restaurant & Lounge, which opened in January 2014 in the hot "south of Fifth" Miami Beach neighborhood.

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SOURCE Commune Hotels & Resorts