Recommended Hotels
Local Locations: Miami Beach, Downtown Miami, and Brickell.
The Hotel room location is essential to complete your inside themes. After you have the perfect outfits and accessories, you need an ideal location that blends naturally and complements your shoot theme and not one that will seem out of place.
Your outfit and themes need to blend naturally in the location and add to your fantasy brand. The more your audience sees themselves in your photo, the more they will feel a connection to you and remember you. Simple, flat, plain backgrounds do not engage your audience or stand out from the billions of online images.
Before booking your hotel, please confirm with me so that I can confirm that it's a hotel that would work for your photoshoot themes, and as importantly, it has enough space to set up my lights and options of different spots for each of your different looks.
Recommended days for a shoot are Monday – Thursday as long as it's not a holiday week or no events going on in Miami or Miami Beach that week.
If you would like a specific room, I highly recommend you arrive early, between 11 am and noon, to request your particular room and then come back between 3:30 pm - and 4 pm at check-in time
Just as in most hotels, professional photoshoots are only allowed inside the room and not in any common areas.
Still, keep it low-key that you are going to have a professional shoot. They have a right to deny any photo or video shoot anywhere on their property including inside their rooms.
Hotels are private property, and their rules can change at any time.
During this year's wild Miami Beach Spring Break season, guests were not allowed to visit anyone staying in the mansion, and each room was limited to only 2 registered adults.
This policy is imposed anytime they view the guest as ones that could be a party group, or hip hop styled. Yes, this means they seem to be more strict on minorities.
The Villa Casa Casuarina - Formally the Versace Mansion
World Famous Versace Mansion. The Villa was originally built in 1930 by the architect, author, and philanthropist, Alden Freeman. In 1992, The Villa was purchased by the famous Italian fashion designer, Gianni Versace where he lived until his death in 1997. Today the Villa operates as a luxury boutique hotel, restaurant, and event venue.
The entire hotel is beautifully decorated in a variety of Classic Italian Styles. Their size categorizes the rooms, and there is only one room of each type. Therefore, a specific room can not be reserved - guaranteed. Specific rooms will be determined at check-in. Keep this in mind when considering booking a room at this unique hotel.
Below are the Suites which are the 4 biggest rooms. A specific room can not be reserved but will be determined at check-in. http://vmmiamibeach.com
GIANNI'S MASTER SUITE
Enter GIANNI's MASTER SUITE Suite through its unique round foyer, and you are transported to the quarters of the man who made the mansion famous. With its decadent custom double king-sized bed and mural-covered walls, two balconies – one overlooking Ocean Drive – a bedroom sitting alcove, his and hers closets, and a custom oversized double-head shower and bidet. The most coveted room in South Florida, The Villa Suite, is an unparalleled experience for the most discerning traveler.
THE VENUS SUITE
The largest room in The Villa, the spacious Venus Suite, features a separate sitting area and two balconies – one overlooking Ocean Drive and a second overlooking The Thousand Mosaic Pool. Relax with two flat-screen televisions, an in-room stereo system, a DVD player, or luxuriate in the custom double queen-sized bed. The Italian marble bathroom features an oversized shower with a double head, double sink, and bidet.
THE SIGNATURE SUITE
With its custom Ultra Large King bed and separate sitting room, The Signature Suite features a balcony overlooking Ocean Drive and Miami Beach's sands. The Suite offers an oversized double-head shower and double sink, a walk-in closet, and a second balcony off the bedroom.
THE GARDEN SUITE
With a view of the Mosaic Garden from its private terrace, The Garden Suite overlooks The Thousand Mosaic Pool. With its sitting area and king-sized bed, the suite offers a relaxing haven in which to luxuriate.
SLS BRICKELL HOTEL
https://www.slshotels.com/brickell/
Splendidly Lavish Skyline SLS Brickell takes its standards of style, luxury, and service to transform Downtown Miami's skyline at the center of it all. A feast for the senses. A hotel with creativity and community elements featuring 124 rooms, world-class décor by Philippe Starck, unforgettable dining, an incredible pool deck, and a global concierge - SLS Brickell is an irresistible retreat in the city's center. The best Rooms for photoshoots are The Presidential Suite, Signature Suite, and SLS Suite.
The Riviera Suites Hotel
http://www.rivierahotelsouthbeach.com
This beautiful boutique hotel has 3 buildings and 2 pools, plus several great spots look great in photos. There is a ground-level pool and a sunroof pool. I have permission from the hotel manager to shoot in any part of the hotel, including around the property. The suites are stunning and look very elegant.
Dream Hotel
http://www.dreamhotels.com
Beautiful Modern Hotel, but the regular rooms are too small, so only book a junior suite or king suite—great location in the middle of South Beach. Regular rooms are tiny, way too small for a photoshoot. Find online specials for the Jr Suites or larger rooms. Best Room for shoots: The Platinum Sun Suite King has a top private sun deck area where we can shoot outside looks and inside the room.
The Boulan Miami
http://boulanmiami.com
Glamorous High-End Modern Big Rooms. The biggest ones in South Beach that I have found. Although they are all suites, don't book the smallest rooms to get the best space and decor. Sophisticated and beautiful. Rooms NOT GOOD for Photoshoots: Penthouse, Terrace. These rooms are smaller in the living room and bedroom and provide less space to set up the lights, photos, and videos. The best room for photoshoots is the One Bedroom Condo with Balcony.
The Croydon Hotel
http://hotelcroydonmiami.com
This hotel has a beautiful Penthouse Room with wood floors and a sun deck—regular rooms as too small to shoot more than 1 look. The best room is the penthouse suites are big, and they have a large private sun deck area.
The Metropole Hotel
http://www.metropolesouthbeach.com
Very nice to shoot in, and I like the 1 bedroom suites. I can also shoot here around the hotel location, including the Patio Area and small pool. They have modern rooms, but some are larger than others ones. You would have to mention at check-in that you are shooting with Paul Cobo and ask for the largest room possible. They know me there will get you the biggest room possible.
Little River Studios
http://littleriverstudios.com
This Production Studio offers many setups, including the Cape Cod House, The North Studio, The Green House, and the Greek Set. Booking here has to be done through me since they require that the photographer be registered with them first.