Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein has partnered with her sister and powerhouse interior designer, Nicolette Bernstein, for their first foray into the hotel business…
The opening of Casa Cañita on Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive highlights a growing shift in boutique hospitality design, where storytelling, cultural authenticity and curated interiors are increasingly central to procurement and specification decisions.
Conceived by designer Nicolette Bernstein in collaboration with chef Michelle Bernstein and partners including Orestes Pajon, Davide Borgia, and David Martinez, the 24-room property has been developed as a fully immersive environment, blending residential-style interiors with a strong narrative rooted in Caribbean and Cuban heritage. Located at 1200 Ocean Drive and 12th Street, Casa Cañita features 24 guestrooms, ranging from ocean view kings to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom ocean front suite each uniquely designed.
Image credit: Casa Cañita / Michaella Jelin.
With interiors led by Nicolette Bernstein, the property is intentionally residential in feel, rooted in the idea of being welcomed into a home rather than checked into a hotel. Oversized velvet beds sit atop turned wooden legs lacquered in coral tones, subtly referencing the ocean just across the street. Handmade chairs from Nicaragua evoke collected pieces from local mercados, while botanical wallpaper, layered textures, and vintage artwork create warmth and depth throughout.
Image credit: Casa Cañita
Hallways enveloped in dark wainscoting and bespoke tropical prints offer a moody, transportive contrast punctuated by archival imagery and collected objects. The result is a ‘tropical maximalist’ aesthetic that is expressive, slightly eccentric, and deeply intentional.
The project also illustrates the growing importance of F&B-led design in hotel environments. The on-site restaurant, La Cañita, is positioned as the experiential core of the property, with interiors, music and spatial flow designed to blur the boundaries between dining, entertainment and accommodation.
Casa Cañita Bar & Restaurant | Image credit: Casa Cañita
In each guest room, a fully integrated lighting system allows guests to intuitively shift the atmosphere, from soft daylight to more intimate evening tones, mirroring the natural rhythm of the day or the mood they wish to create. Bathrooms carry this sensibility further, with adjustable ambient lighting designed to feel both seductive and immersive, offering a more sensorial approach to daily rituals. Comfort is equally considered, with features such as heated Toto washlet systems seamlessly integrated into select bathrooms.
Image credit: Casa Cañita
The hotel design highlights several priorities shaping the sector: sourcing unique, story-driven materials; balancing aesthetic ambition with operational performance; and delivering flexible, multi-use spaces that support both guest stays and private events.
“To me, Casa Cañita began as a vision of a home somewhere in the Caribbean, shaped by memory, culture, and gathering,” said Nicolette Bernstein. “From sugarcane comes rum, from rum comes music, and from music comes connection. This project is about bringing that story to life in a way that feels layered, personal, and entirely immersive.”
Main Image Credit: Casa Cañita
