Nikki Beach, 20 years of glamor by the sea.
What can they have in common Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Naomi Campbell and Mariah Carey ? To begin with, everyone is attracted to the idea of the 'day party': that is, replacing the nightclub with four-hour lunches by the sea, drinking champagne in a bathing suit and with bare feet and listening to the best DJs while sunbathing by the pool.
Jack Penrod, CEO of Nikki Beach.
And who does not? This is the concept that Nikki Beach has been promoting for 20 years now, when Jack Penrod designed his first private paradise on Miami Beach. "It all started as a tranquil seaside garden located at 1 Ocean Drive , Miami Beach. It was called Café Nikki to honor the life of my daughter Nicole, who died in a car accident when she was only 18 years old. It housed a small cafe, a garden of butterflies, birds, sunflowers and trees. Was a magical zen space for people looking to enjoy and share memories with good friends and family,” explains Jack.
One of the images from the book Celebration of Life, which commemorates the 20th anniversary of Nikki Beach.
The chain already has 14 clubs around the world, and 4 hotels since the first one, Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Koh Samui, opened. Soon it will open others in Santorini, Montenegro and Sri Lanka , and hopes to open many more in the next five years. Are you worried about the effects of the massive influx of visitors in these types of destinations? “Handling large numbers of guests is something we're good at, but we set up our locations in a way that makes sure our capacity numbers are in a range that we can handle well,” says Jack.
Nikki Beach changed the concept of partying by the sea with its daytime celebrations, two decades ago.
“For us, quantity versus quality is not an option. We never want our guests to feel uncomfortable." Success, according to Jack, is due to word of mouth, and that's where his motto comes from “Only tell your best friends” . “During those early years, Miami was very busy with modeling agencies and the movie industry,” he recalls. “Many celebrities enjoyed in Nikki's Cafe . They fell in love with its energy and became loyal fans of our brand. This loyalty has followed us around the world. A natural expansion of the beach area adjacent to the café soon took place, and the first Nikki Beach was born.”
Nikki Beach has beach clubs and hotels all over the world.
Celebrities of all kinds declare themselves fans of the luxury and discretion that are the trademark of the house (although the arrival of smartphones complicates the issue of privacy a little, according to their creators). Naomi Campbell, Mariah Carey and Leonardo DiCaprio They are some of their regulars, which speaks volumes about their level of excellence, as they have a reputation for being very picky. “Actually, famous people are just like you and me. They just want to have fun in a space where they feel safe." Lucia Penrod , CEO and wife of Jack.
Nikki Beach celebrates two decades.
At Nikki Beach, moreover, each client is a VIP, although not all of them ask to be treated like Caesar or showered in champagne... “ Everyone wants to live a glamorous and memorable experience , one way or another. And they are listened to, it is part of the philosophy”, Lucía tells us. The commitment of this peculiar family is to "celebrate life".
Jack and Lucia Penrod from Nikki Beach.
**Safe from prying eyes (and in general) **
The recent terrorist attack in Sri Lanka has not changed their plans there. “Our partners there continue to be very positive in the development of this unique project. They don't want these horrible events to have the power to jeopardize the future and growth of their country, so the project remains."
Nikki Beach turns 20.
Safety is one of the key points in the Penrod chain, even more so for women. “ We are a very feminine brand which was designed with Nicole in mind. We want our guests to come to our clubs and feel safe and at home, especially our guests. In addition, our brand's colors, designs, music selection, events and menu fit everyone, but were developed with a female customer in mind."
Project of the next Nikki Beach in Montenegro.
When asked if they consider themselves pioneers, Jack is very clear: “Without a doubt. I started this daytime party concept 20 years ago! We change the way people have fun and not just in a specific age group. We replaced the nightclub scene with a healthier option: we taught the world that four-hour lunches, sipping champagne barefoot in bathing suits and listening to top DJs while sunbathing by the pool is the norm at Nikki Beach.”
Another aspect that they take care of with care is the kitchen, explains Lucía. “We strive to have the freshest local ingredients and we choose recipes without complications. Our job is to listen to our clients and give them what they want; We are not looking to educate them.”
Nikki Beach project in Santorini.
"The concept of luxury is much more experience-based than it was 20 years ago," she adds. Her concept is based on six pillars: music, gastronomy, entertainment, fashion, cinema and art. By combining these six elements, Nikki Beach creates her magic. “ Luxury used to be synonymous with words like elegant, over-the-top, and extravagant, but that's no longer the case. . Ours is a barefoot luxury experience…”.
Nikki Beach project for Sri Lanka.