Alan Faena might not be a household name, but his collection of lux hotels put his name on the lips of Miami tourists and locals alike. With a background in premium textiles and an eye for prestige, the Argentinian-born hotelier has been making major waves in Miami’s already highly decorated hotel scene for over a decade.
And just one night inside the famed Faena Miami Beach Hotel —voted the number one hotel in Miami by Conde Nast for two years straight — makes it easy to see the appeal.
A Brief History
Born in Buenos Aires in 1963, Alan Faena entered his teenage years at a time when self-expression, creativity, and freedom were the ultimate social movements. By age 19, Faena had already co-developed his first fashion line, called Via Vai, with romantic interest Paula Cahen d’Anvers. Being the son of a second-generation textile manufacturer, it was a logical, unsurprising, and well-fitting first career.
He self-funded his first launch of 50 shirts, which later expanded into a denim line and wear-ready styles. The brand was the first from Argentina to receive any form of international prestige.
In 1995, Faena relocated to the Punta del Este coast in Uruguay, where he enjoyed a stint as a gardener growing roses by the sea. There, he resided in a small homestead owned by a business associate of his father’s. The home was remote and abandoned, and may have helped to plant the seed of inspiration for Faena’s later career as a real estate developer and creative.
From Real Fashion to Real Estate
After selling his first fashion venture in 1996 when he and d’Anvers separated, Faena continued to build his fashion empire until he stepped into real estate development in 2000. He started by partnering with other developers in improving abandoned docklands in his home city.
Just four years later, the Faena Hotel opened its doors for the first time.
The hotel is now part of the Faena District in Buenos Aires, whose real estate is worth an estimated $200 million. The district is also home to the Faena Art Center, which opened in 2011 and has become a hotspot for local and international artists alike to display their works.
Luxury is an Art
Today, Faena’s name and expertise is emblazoned on three world-class properties: the original Faena Hotel Buenos Aires, Faena Hotel Miami Beach, and Casa Faena Miami Beach. Faena has also developed multiple penthouse residences.
Step inside each of the properties and you will find a delicate balance of art, lux, and creativity bursting in every corner. The classic art deco stylings of the Faena Miami Beach shows the hotelier’s commitment to not only creating but also conversing iconic art. In fact, it was the redevelopment of this hotel (formerly known as The Saxony) on a mostly forgotten stretch of Miami Beach that Faena flexed his experimental muscle to breathe new, luxurious life into the city.
Today’s Faena District in Miami is just one of many testaments that a class of visionaries whose likes have not been seen in decades still exist. His work continues to inspire Buenos Aires and Miami Beach, as well as all who have had the pleasure to visit, explore, and stay in an authentic Faena creation.
