The German developers behind the proposed Cloud One Hotel and Residences in Miami view the city as the new gateway into North America as Munich-based Motel One plans to build its first branded residential concept in South Florida.
Expected to break ground between the end of this year and early 2026, plans for the 8-story hotel-condominium call for 85 residences ranging from 450 square feet to over 2,200 square feet with interiors by March and White Design, and a 214-key hotel at 2215 NW 1st Place. Initial sales for the condominium began in June, with the team officially opening a sales gallery at 2242 NW 1st Place amidst the streetscape murals of the Wynwood arts district in mid-October.
Founded in 2000, Motel One bills itself as a "pioneer of the budget design concept," offering high-quality hotels near city centers at "attractive" prices, according to its website. The company debuted Cloud One, its new upscale lifestyle brand in 2022, with the launch of the Cloud One Hotel in New York. Now the $1 billion hospitality company is planning its first hotel with a residential component in Miami.
Fellow Munich-based developers Büschl Group, led by Ralf Büschl, and Sebastian Lüdke, CEO of ALP.X Group, are joining Motel One to build the Miami property in a joint venture.
The idea for the new hotel and branded residences began when Motel One founder Dieter Müller was wondering where to expand the Cloud One brand. Büschl and Lüdke told Motel One leadership to look at Miami's evolving Wynwood neighborhood. The hotel’s upscale design with exterior murals curated by Wynwood’s own Goldman Global Arts matched the vibe of the neighborhood, said Büschl.
Lüdke said that Miami made sense for the first Cloud One Hotel and Residences because of its position on the East Coast as well as being Florida's largest market with an international airport making it easily accessible to European travelers. He also cited Florida's low-tax environment and warm weather being a draw for Europeans escaping cold climates.
Even though the project will have a hotel and residential units, the developers don't consider it a condo-hotel. Hotel guests and residents will have separate entrances to the building, with the hotel situated beneath the branded residences that line the top three floors of the building.
Branded residences are a popular concept in Miami and the Motel One team saw it as an opportunity to do something new since branded residences are “not at all” as well-known in Europe, Lüdke said.
The opening of the sales gallery arrives as the team prepares to go full steam ahead on the project in anticipation of Miami's busy season, said Lüdke. He added there has been interest from a mix of buyers from Latin America, the northeastern U.S. and Europeans.
Sales are led by Douglas Elliman, with prices for a residential unit starting in the $500,000s. The team declined to provide a sales update, as reservations have yet to be converted to contracts, a spokesperson told CoStar News. Completion of the Cloud One Hotel and Residences is anticipated for 2027.
A new gateway
The developers said that Miami’s growth made it “increasingly the gateway for Europeans to enter the U.S.” for both business and recreation, but that wasn't always the case, said Lüdke. “Historically … New York has been the gateway into the North American market. Over the past 10 years or so, I think Florida and Miami have increasingly become the challenger to that,” said Lüdke.
Miami is home to Art Basel and Formula One races, some of Europe's best-known cultural exports, marking another draw for international visitors and residents, the developers said.
“When I was here 40 years ago, [Miami] was more or less a retirement place, and it developed into something very interesting for everyone to enter the United States,” said Büschl.
But that also means Miami “deserves” significant investment in its infrastructure, public transit and schools. With the Miami evolution from holiday getaway to a “year-round economic hub, the city needs to grow up in these aspects as well. You don't want to be recognized for the city that is only doing Basel and Formula One,” said Lüdke.
Added Büschl, “if you grow too fast, you have to wait a little and then consolidate yourself. This is maybe what Miami needs a little bit.”