Surfcomber Hotel

Surfcomber is a boutique hotel on Collins Avenue in the historic art-deco district of South Beach, Miami, Florida. The Surfcomber was built in 1948. It was acquired by the Kimpton hotel chain in April 2011 The hotel is known for pool parties, and served as headquarters for MTV during the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards and for Bud Light during 2010 Super Bowl XLIV. It is located on the shore of Miami's South Beach.
Architecture.
The style of the hotel is an example of transitional architecture, bridging the ornamental styles of art deco from the 1930s with the streamlined and modern graphics language of the late forties and fifties. The architectural firm, MacKay & Gibbs, was also responsible for the design of several other art deco hotels in Miami, including the Sherbrooke Hotel, built in 1947.
The Surfcomber is one of many historic buildings in the Miami Beach Architectural District, also called the Miami Beach Art Deco District. Art Deco is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s and 1940s. The Miami Beach Architectural District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It has the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world and comprises hundreds of hotels, apartments and other structures built from the 1920s to the 1940s. It is roughly bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, 6th Street, Alton Road, Dade Boulevard and 23rd Street in Miami Beach.
Special events.
Pool parties.
The Surfcomber Hotel is well known for its pool parties, featuring distinguished DJs from around the world playing house, techno, and electro music. The parties began in 2004 and are now reportedly among the most anticipated parties each year in Miami Beach.
These event coincide with the Winter Music Conference, Ultra Music Festival and the July 4th IndepenDANCE Pool Party. The 2011 IndepenDANCE party featured DJs Boris, Cocodrills, Behrouz, the Martinez Brothers, and Victor Calderone and was headlined by Fatboy Slim and Dirty South.
Other notable artists and DJs who have performed at the Surfcomber include: Armin van Buuren, Sander Kleinenberg, Pete Tong, Donald Glaude, Steve Lawler, Kaskade, James Zabiela, Tiefschwarz, Chuckie, Afrojack, Joris Voorn, Nervo, Axwell, Benny Benassi, Avicii, Louis Puig, Miami-favorites Patrick M and Luis Puig of Club Space, Funkagenda, Wally López, Cedric Gervais.
2005 MTV Video Movie Awards.
During the lead up to the Video Movie Awards (VMAs) in 2005, MTV took over the Surfcomber Hotel and transformed it into "Hotel MTV." On the Wednesday before the show Diddy opened up Hotel MTV with a ribbon cutting and concert for the fans by the pool; however, the planned party had to be altered due to Hurricane Katrina. The storm caused the cancellation of all planned outdoor events at the hotel on the Thursday and Friday before the VMAs. The storm moved out of the area by Saturday and the festivities continued with artists such as Akon and The Bravery performing.
2010 Super Bowl.
For Super Bowl XLIV, Bud Light took over the hotel and renamed it Bud Light Hotel South Beach, completely transforming it. Everything from the hotel marquee to the sugar packets were re-branded with the Bud Light Hotel logos.