The Third Most Photographed Home in America: Versace Mansion

The world-famous Ocean Drive is one of the most photographed stretches of Miami Beach, Florida, with its neon lights and sidewalk cafes serving beer-garitas for two, it’s not known for being a high-end destination. The exception, nestled amid low-rise Art Deco hotels, is the luxury boutique hotel The Villa Casa Casuarina, also known as the Versace Mansion, the third most photographed home in America, after the White House and Graceland. 

Versace Mansion is an American property built in 1930, renowned for being owned by the Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace; he lived there from 1992 until his death in 1997. Since 2015, it has been adapted into and operates as a luxury boutique hotel known as The Villa Casa Casuarina.

From Flashy Home to Over-the-top Hotel

Today, Casa Casuarina has 10 hotel suites, plus a restaurant and bar, a lounge that can be used for meetings, a rooftop and an elaborate Mediterranean-style Mosaic Garden, with tiles picturing icons of Greek mythology, chief among them Medusa – who has a place of honor on the Versace brand’s logo.

The most elaborate Medusa can be found in the Villa’s 54-foot-long pool, inspired by Versace’s “Marine Vanuras” collection and said to be made from more than one million mosaic tiles, thousands of them 24-karat gold.

If a $2,000-plus-a-night hotel room is out of reach, members of the public can indulge in the villa’s Baroque grandeur with a dinner reservation at Gianni’s, and an aperitif in the intimate, clubby Onyx Bar, in the space that used to be Versace’s kitchen.

The History of Casa Casuarina

The Villa was originally built in 1930 by the architect, author, and philanthropist, Alden Freeman. Mr. Freeman was the heir to the Standard Oil fortune. In 1992, The Villa was purchased by the famous Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace. After falling under the spell of the Magic City and the Spanish architecture of the grand house. Next door was an Art Deco Hotel called the Hotel Revere, which Versace also snapped up, and demolished to make way for his garden, pool and the south wing, which used to house one of his libraries. An estimated $32 million in renovations over three years transformed the historic property into a manse fit for a style king.

Today the Villa operates as a luxury boutique hotel, restaurant and event venue.

A very good experience, perfect position, luxury location, very educated staff, good breakfast and very good restaurant, and the suites are a dream. One of the best experiences in Miami.

It’s is very opulent and frankly stunning. The Venus Suite which is amazing and very sizable with balconies to the South Beach side and also to the stunning pool.

Address

1116 Ocean Drive (in the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach),
Miami Beach, Florida, 33139

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