In the heart of Miami Beach stands The Villa Casa Casuarina at The Former Versace Mansion, a historic gem renowned for its Instagram-worthy grandeur, international cuisine, and iconic former residents, including designer-fashion icon Gianni Versace himself, who made the villa what it is today. The Villa isn’t just a place—it’s a history lesson waiting to be told. Today, The Villa Casa Casuarina is known for being the second most instagrammed location in the United States. But what is it about the Villa that makes it so captivating?
Is it the lavish architecture, the rich history embedded in its walls, or the fascination with its iconic former residents? To solve this mystery, one must go back to the very beginning of the tale.
Historical Figures
Alden Freeman built Casa Casuarina in 1930, deeming him the original architect of the Villa. When his father Joel Freeman, Treasurer of the Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust, died in 1910, he left his son a large fortune, allowing him to retire at age 27 and travel the world.
Freeman visited the Alcazar De Colon in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, built by Diego Columbus—Christopher Columbus’s son—and known as the oldest residence in the Western Hemisphere. Freeman fell in love with the house and decided to build his own home on Miami Beach in a similar style.
The property had a total of 24 apartments: Freeman lived in the top-floor-front apartment and the remaining 23 apartments in the building were available for rent and to house many of Freeman’s friends that visited Miami Beach. Freeman died at Casa Casuarina, only seven years after the mansion was built.
Many years later, in 1992, Gianni Versace visited Miami Beach with his family. Walking down Ocean Drive, Versace fell in love with the “Kneeling Aphrodite” statue outside The Villa. The beautiful Spanish architecture and his obsession with Greek and Roman mythology convinced Versace to buy the house for $2.95 million and the lot next door.
Versace invested $32 million in renovations. He added the South wing, the pool and garden and turned the 24 apartments into 10 large suites in the original house and two additional new suites in the South wing, thus The Versace Mansion was born. The renovations took three years to complete. Gianni’s friends and family also left their mark on the villa: his brother Santo’s bedroom is the Venus Room while his sister Donatella’s bedroom is the Signature Suite.
Versace was killed on the front steps of his mansion on July 15, 1997, five years after purchasing the home. What remains from the Versace period are the decorated walls, floors, ceilings, and windows, the pool, garden and South Wing.
To truly understand the legacy of Casa Casuarina, one must first take a closer look at the man behind the legend – Gianni Versace.
Creating Versace
Gianni Versace was born on December 2, 1946, in Reggio Calabria, Italy. He spent many moments of his childhood watching his mother, a dressmaker, work on designs in her boutique. After Versace graduated high school, he would spend time at his mother’s shop before he moved to Milan in 1972 to work for Italian ateliers like Mario Valentino.
With the support of the Girombellis, an Italian fashion family, Versace was able to establish his own company called Gianni Versace SpA in 1978. His brother Santo acted as CEO of the company, and his sister Donatella became a designer and Vice President. Versace worked hard to design in the 1980s and ‘70s and built his fashion line around sensuality and sexuality. His most famous designs included bondage gear, polyvinyl chloride baby-doll dresses and silver-mesh togas.
Versace received criticism for his “flashy, vulgar designs.” Unbothered by these comments, Versace staged his seasonal fashion shows as rock concerts at his design headquarters in Milan. As he became more successful, Versace began establishing boutiques throughout the United States with the help of his family. Versace is credited for turning the fashion world into what it is today.
Today, Casa Casuarina is under new ownership introducing new faces and embracing a new era while preserving its historic charm and Versace’s legacy.
The family behind Jordache Enterprises, an American clothing company that is known for its designer jeans, purchased Casa Casuarina in 2013. Through VM South Beach LLC, the Nakash family acquired the mansion for $41.5 million, beating out a $41 million bid from Donald Trump, at a bankruptcy auction held in Miami. When the Nakash family first purchased the property, Joe Nakash mentioned that people take more pictures in front of it than they do the White House because they can’t get in and that the Nakash family wants people to be able to enter and see it.
A few years later, the mansion opened its doors to the public and allowed people to interact with the property by turning it into a hotel with a restaurant.
Ali Nural, the Regional General Manager for the Victor Hotels, owned by the Nakash family, says, “We have not changed anything in the past 12 years, other than converting downstairs into a restaurant.” The management remains true to the Versace legacy by not changing anything within the rooms but rather keeping up with the occasional maintenance.
Hotel Today
Within the hotel market, The Villa is considered a luxury boutique hotel yet its rich history proves to be much more. As a luxury boutique hotel, it offers a highly exclusive and intimate experience, leaving people to wonder: What happens behind those doors?
The hotel itself caters to the affluent travelers who seek a unique stay with both a historical and cultural appeal. Versace’s design influence and elaborate style is displayed and preserved in every room. Since the hotel only has 13 suites, it is considered very exclusive, having high rates year-round. The typical price estimate per room per night can range from $600 for the Premier Suites to +$1,500 for the Royal Suites. Prices also vary depending on the season.
In the media, the hotel’s brand is known for its luxury, exclusive and private suites where each room is personalized and intricate. However, it is also known for its over one million italian mosaic tiles, its resident artist on suite, its 54 ft., 24-karat gold lined pool, its Versace-velvet furniture, and many more experiences that reminisce the lavish lifestyle of Gianni Versace.
University of Miami junior, Elle Mannion, who hopes to pursue a career in fashion entrepreneurship, describes the intricacies of Versace’s design as, “very meticulous and detailed, which is very reflected throughout the Mansion, especially in the mosaic pools at the restaurant. I also noticed the reflection of Gianni’s style in the painting of the Manions internal walls and ceilings, which tend to feature tedious, hand-painted murals.” Versace’s style can be experienced within the mansion, leaving guests fascinated with their surroundings.
Nural says, “Everyone loves Versace, people admire Versace, so people come to see his legacy and want to experience it. It’s a feeling of luxury.”
This idea of luxury motivates celebrity guests to visit the mansion. Some of the original celebrity guests include fashion icons such as Karl Lagerfeld, Madonna and Anna Wintour. Similarly, Gianni’s close friends such as the late Princess Diana and Elton John also visited the mansion. Contemporary celebrities have also paid a visit to the mansion in recent years including: Kim Kardasian, Kanye West, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Justin Bieber and Lil Wayne.
Junior Caitlyn Freitas visited the mansion and says, “Just by looking at the house, you can tell it’s very expensive, almost elegant yet flashy. It’s definitely giving Italian glamour.”
Guests can also book private events at Casa Casuarina such as weddings, corporate events, fundraisers, award ceremonies, and fashion shows. According to Nural, The Villa throws both exclusive and open events for Art Basel and Miami Swim Week.
The Villa at Casa Casuarina is considered an architectural landmark as it was designed and remodeled by Versace “with influences from both the Roman and Ottoman Empire,” Nural says.
This rich and cultural hub, standing in all its grandeur, is protected under historical preservation for many more generations to enjoy. Mannion says, “Preserving The Mansion’s style and architecture pays homage to the legendary designer who lived there, which showcases Miami’s appreciation for art, fashion and the highlight of different cultures.”
Architecture fanatics can enjoy exploring the building, observing the beauty of the culturally-rich design. The Villa’s association with Gianni Versce and the Versace brand makes the Villa appealing to art and design enthusiasts everywhere.
“Being the home and landmark of one of the world’s most known and loved luxury fashion designers solidifies Miami’s large presence in the fashion world,” Mannion says.
Gianni’s restaurant’s fine dining experience, featuring Italian cuisine from the famous Valter Mancini, appeals to all the Instagram foodies who enjoy dining with a view.
No matter what you are interested in, The Villa at Casa Casuarina, is sure to leave you in awe.
Within the world of professional designers, Casa Casuarina is first and foremost, a home. It was a home to Freeman and Versace, both of which their different styles and tastes, is shown throughout The Villa.
What makes this hotel special is that the owners of the hotel designed it, and built it, to their own tastes because they knew they were going to make this their forever home. Today, their legacies live on, every day, as visitors walk in through their doors, hopping to be immersed in the world that is Casa Casuarina.
words_elizabeth agurto. design_sal puma
This article was published in Distraction’s Summer 2025 print issue.
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