he architect Morris Lapidus once said, “If you create a stage and it is grand,
everyone who enters will play their part.” In 1954, the Fontainebleau Hotel, Lapidus’s postmodern masterpiece,
opened its iconic doors on the shore of Miami Beach, and a grand stage it was. Not only was the Fontainebleau
lauded because of its stellar accommodations and sheer size, but it also became popular because of the legendary
heavy hitters that it hosted, such as Elvis Presley, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, and even the Rat Pack.
Following a $1 billion makeover that was completed in November, the Fontainebleau’s luster was restored
and the grand dame now sparkles and thrives once again as a playground for the rich and famous. For those
who become victims of too much play, the remodel made way for a 40,000-square-foot heavenly oasis named
Lapis, one of the hottest new spas on the beach. “We were inspired by the glamorous and colorful legacy of the
Fontainebleau, which we wanted to honor,” says Kimberley Matheson Shedrick, president of Natural Resources
Spa Consulting and consultant on the project. “However, we set out to truly reinvent a sensory-rich environment
desirable to the 21st-century interpretation of glamour.”
After more than three years of development, the two-level, über-modern spa, located in a new glass building
near the pool, opened in April to much fanfare. Complete with 30 treatment rooms and a cutting-edge fitness
center, the luxe spa stands out from nearby competitors because of its attention to detail. “Spas have evolved
to offer more than just the treatment itself,” says Matheson Shedrick. “In this highly competitive market, we
realized that we were going to have to reach further to create a remarkable spa that captured the imagination
and delivered new experiences as well as traditional favorites.”
Lapis has taken the spa experience to a different level, such as through its exclusive partnership with esthe-tician-to-the-stars Tracie Martyn, whose celeb roster includes Diane von Furstenberg, Kate Winslet, Sandra
Bullock, and Madonna. Lapis is the only place outside of Martyn’s eponymous New York City spa to offer her
signature treatments—The Resculpting Facial ($325, 60 minutes) and The Resculpting Body Treatment ($200,
continued on page 88
BELOW LEFT: Heated
white-marble
hammam benches
flank the Essence
Mineral Co-Ed Jet
Pool. BELOW RIGHT:
The retail area
complements the
spa’s modern and
clean aesthetic.
