Frank Sinatra's Tony Rome shot in Hotel Dolphin

 

When I was a young man in the '60s, I quickly learned how to identify a good hotel. You must realize that my definition of good was generous as a young fellow even if it was governed by the application of a set of rules. The goal was to find a hotel with a past, a good past but a checkered present.

When I visited Miami with a good friend, we found the beach area impossibly expensive. We had friends staying at the Deauville Beach Resort while others were staying at the Fontainebleu Miami Beach. This meant we could party with the spring break crowd at these hotels, our friends would get us in, and with luck all our drinks would be free. There most certainly would be lots of free stomach-filling finger foods. But when it came time to crash for the night, we could not stay at either place.

And so, we headed for Miami and sought out the atmosphere of a deteriorating neighbourhood. The Hotel Dolpin popped out. It was old and large but had no parking. It did have fully tiled bathrooms, complete with showers, attached to each room: a plus. It was not a shared-washrooms-off-the-main-hallway hotel. The Dolphin had been a high class place when new.

The lobby was large with a wrap around mezzanine ringing the lobby. Off the mezzanine there had been stores and a barbershop. By the time we stayed there, all the businesses were closed as were the ones at street level that once enjoyed walk-in traffic. The elevator was amazing. All shiny brass and covered with very ornate designs. It required an elevator attendant and he was proud of his elevator. It was his baby and his love of the old lift was the reason it sparkled so. He spend his days polishing his love.

Staying at a place like the Hotel Dolphin was like staying in a hotel museum. It was steeped in historic atmosphere. And, best of all, it was cheap. In the mid '60s it may have cost a couple of bucks. This price was a fraction of the cost of staying at either the Deauville or Fontainebleu.

Today the Hotel Dolphin is gone. The once beautiful Deauville ran down, right on schedule, and suffered the indignity of a serious electrical fire making the place all but uninhabitable. Instead of becoming a worn, faded jewel welcoming those folk who are money-challenged, the Deauville is being torn down. Despite its heritage, dare I say, designation, the historic hotel resort is being demolished.