Fontainebleau Hilton | Queen Of Collins Avenue
Back In Renewed Glory By Nina and Tim Boxer  FTER five years undergoing extensive renovation—to the tune of $65 million—the Fontainebleau Hilton of Miami Beach is ready to reclaim the glory days of the Rat Pack. In the last century this was the virtual home of Frank Sinatra, Sammy David Jr., Dean Martin, Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop.
Contemporary celebrities who showed up here include Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Placido Domingo and Rudy Giuliani. The Specialist, starring Sharon Stone and Sylvester Stallone and The Bodyguard starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner were filmed on the premises. Melanie Muss, director of development, can’t wail till December 20, 2004, when she’ll kick off a yearlong celebration of the venerable hotel’s 50th anniversary. We spent a couple of days to check out the queen of Collins Avenue and were duly impressed. Ol’ Blue Eyes would love it. You feel the presence of the Rat Pack in the revamped Garden Lobby Bar where their silhouettes and film clips dominate the décor. Elsewhere, the lavish 20-acre resort is truly child-friendly. Cookie’s World is an octopus water attraction surrounded by a lazy river raft ride. Kids find the 260-foot spiral water slide a real thrill. Kid’s Cove is a supervised playroom with an underwater theme, offering activities for kids ages 5 to 12. Furthermore, children under 18 stay free in the same room with parents or grandparents. The resort’s beautiful Club Tropigala features Las Vegas type shows. The signature Bleau View restaurant features Mediterranean and classic cuisine. The wine list offered a bottle of Champagne, Louis Roederer, Cristal, France, 1995, for $225. Next door they’re building a $2 million Fontainebleau II, a 36-story condo hotel. Buy a luxury suite and enjoy the experience of the entire resort. For more visit www.fontainebleauhilton.com or call 1-800 HILTONS. | 
