The Hard Rock Hotel brand must have pulled some strings to get this venue approved
A Hard Rock Hotel shaped like an absolutely enormous guitar has opened in Florida, bringing a distinct silhouette to the city skyline of Hollywood.
The world's first guitar-shaped hotel soars 450 feet in the air and pays homage to the brand's musical heritage. Appropriately and unsurprisingly named The Guitar Hotel, the resort features 638 guest rooms and suites that are outfitted with floor-to-ceiling glass panes.
The venue - which cost of $1.2 billion to create - also boasts a 13.5-acre pool (that's the size of nine football pitches) and a lagoon where guests can swim, kayak and paddle board. A Hard Rock Live performance venue has a seating capacity for 7,000 spectators, and it will be used to host awards shows, A-List concerts, sporting events and nationally televised programmes.
Let's move on to the property's casino. It features 3,000 slot machines, a 46-table poker room, 193 games tables and 30 (yes, really) bars, lounges and restaurants. Also on site is a retail promenade and nightclub. Casual.
The hotel's website states: 'Boasting the sun-filled and sunset-laden South Florida skies, the Guitar Hotel is truly an architectural marvel that redefines the South Florida skyline.'
Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International revealed details about the new guitar hotel at a press event in New York City's Hard Rock Cafe.
He gushed, 'The Hard Rock brand is stronger today than it ever has been...It now represents more than food, beverage and a place to stay.'
The new space - opened by Maroon 5 on 25 October - has been designed to dazzle those not staying by way of a flashy light show that can be orchestrated to outdoor music, thanks to LED lights built into the hotel and high-powered beams that can project 20,000 feet into the night sky. The beams are designed to mimic guitar strings.
The resort is located 15 minutes from Fort Lauderdale's beaches and 30 minutes from Miami. Innovative design or dreaded eyesore? That's up to you to decide.
