Boutique hotel opens on Fort Lauderdale Beach

Gzella Collection has opened the its second boutique property in the mid-section of Fort Lauderdale’s beach area: The first guests of the 24-room Ikona Hotel arrived in mid-August

Pawel Plata, co-founder of Gzella, told the Sun-Sentinel the company completed a multi-million-dollar upgrade of the property at 3030 Bayshore Drive, formerly known as the Shell Motel.

The three-story Ikona Hotel has a courtyard, a private swimming pool, and a second-story balcony overlooking the ocean available as event space.

Daily room rates start at $202 for a standard room. Ikona also has deluxe rooms, apartment suites for families, and penthouse units.

Gzella opened its first boutique property in the beach area, the 35-room Fortuna Hotel, at 350 North Birch Road. The extensively renovated property is the former Seaside Motel.

Next year, the company also plans to open a hotel called Mirra at 3016 Bayshore Drive. The site has been occupied by a 1950s-vintage property called the Martindale Motel, which a previous owner closed. [Sun-Sentinel] — Mike Seemuth