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FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL May/June 2000 A Shore Thing Retreat From the Heat on Miami Beach__ New Oceanfront Oases Refresh Body and Soul The Beach House Bal Harbour Shades of blue and seafoam green are the colors worn by The Beach House Bal Harbour: Purchased by Rubell Hotels in 1998, this 1950s beachfront resort, formerly known as The Palms Resort, is a "kick-off-your-shoes, "laid-back luxury oasis that encourages guests to "resist the urge to practice proper hotel etiquette."  Located on a strip of beach two blocks from the swank Bal Harbour Shops, The Beach House is more Hamptons, coastal Maine or Nantucket than Miami.  Stylized floral arrangements are not the style here. The Beach House adornments are pitchers and pots of yellow daisies, sea fossils strewn across tabletops, glass jars of coveted collected shells, and bathing suitclad guests padding barefoot across the lobby's slate floor". The feel is homey, more Bed & Breakfast than hotel, but with seven floors and 170 guest rooms, looks can be deceiving. What is not deceiving is the warmth that The Beach House exudes.  Conceived owned and operated by the Rubell Family, The Beach House, like other Rubell properties is a brainchild born of the corroborative effort of Donald and Mera Rubell and their children, Jennifer and Jason.  Reputed for prior successes in merging historical perspective with contemporary comment, the Rubells reveal a country casual environment in this sanctuary.  Following its multi-million dollar renovation by Scott Sanders of the POLO Ralph Lauren design team, The Beach House embraces guests with an immediate welcome. The once typically large lobby is now acutely atypical; completely gutted in 1998, the lobby is subdivided into a series of public spaces, each expressing an individual personality just as the rooms of any private residence.  According to Jennifer Rubell, the concept of The Beach House is to convey the idea of "coming home." Indeed, it does just that. First impressions that evoke intimacy in the foyer include overstuffed, upholstered seating in denim blues and khaki, colorful down pillows that fill deep couches and club chairs, and huge expanses of glass bring the outdoors in. Guests are instantly aware of their freedom to roam, and there are plenty of different rooms to suit many different moods. "The Screened-In Porch" facilitates immediate transport to a favorite cottage at the Cape.  Although there is no actual screen, plank flooring and a paddle-fanned ceiling hint at the feel of a verandah.  Antique white wicker furniture from Kennebunkport, Maine, plaid cushioned settees, high-back chairs and rockers fill the room.  Glass bowls are brimming with Granny Smith apples.  There's Monopoly and Scrabble, lemonade in the afternoon, sangria in the evening. The Seahorse Bar is named after its giant seahorse-occupied aquarium; ask a few questions and be surprised by all the things to learn about these mystical animals. Spread out on a fat leather sofa for a cocktail or a chat at The Bamboo Room, where on any given day, a guest lecturer; writer or musician might be entertaining.  Art aficionados can accept an open invitation to peruse the Rubell Family's internationally acclaimed contemporary art collection, housed in a 40,000 square foot facility nearby. On your way back to your room, stop at The Panty for a personal-sized Haagen-Dazs and a Snapple.  After all, there is a mini-refrigerator in the room for you to stock to your liking. Retire to a private suite of custom-designed whitewashed furniture, Ralph Lauren linens and lots of pillows.  Expect the unexpected, including Sony Playstations, cordless phones and Internet access with remote, cordless keyboards.  There's swimsuit wash in the bathroom and glass jars for keepsake seashell treasures.  Whimsical touches are tucked everywhere. Outside, the poolside--outfitted with a conventional bar, an organic juice bar and small tables for shaded seating beneath date palms--lies just beyond a garden of sea-creature topiaries.  Billowy tents flank the pool's perimeter, the striped ones serving as individual spas, offering massage, salt-rub, mud treatment, facial, manicure and pedicure. Should you prefer the ocean, tread down to "Gilligan's Island," a private ocean front parcel with a wide depth of beach just beyond the dunes.  Peek through the coconut palms and seagrapes, and aquamarine waters may lure you in.  Or, take advantage of the hammock grove, and sway carelessly suspended between two palms.  Inhale deeply, and let the salt air tickle your nose as it tangos with the aroma of Sheila Lukins' home-style dishes. A unique blend of homespun luxury and "hang-out" casual, Beach House Bal Harbour is whim and whimsy quilted in a New England-style haven for all ages.   --Deborah Lesser

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