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Last night, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace premiered with a poolside party at Villa Casa Casuarina on St John Beach.
The opulent property, still referred to by many as the Versace mansion or Villa Versace, plays a prominent role in the series. Filmmakers rented the entire property for a month to film both exterior and interior scenes.
At the event last night, it was surreal to sit on the murdered designer’s pool deck and watch Penélope Cruz as a flashy Donatella contemplated her brother’s empire as she overlooked the pool from behind a railing embossed with a Medusa head. It was as meta as can be.
If you weren’t invited to the feast, you can stay at the hotel for around $ 1,600 per night. An evening in the designer’s suite can cost up to $ 2,500. If those prices put you off, there is a much more economical way to walk in Versace’s Italian shoes: in-villa dinner or cocktails.
The famous courtyard in Villa Casa Casuarina.
Photo by Laine Doss
Chauncey Copeland, general manager of Villa Casa Casuarina, says many people – tourists and locals alike – don’t know they can eat in the designer’s own restaurant, even though the front of the property remains one of the most photographed spots in St John Beach’s room or room sip a chic cocktail in his kitchen, which has now been turned into the Onyx Bar.
“That’s the biggest misunderstanding. Some people think it’s a museum and ask how much a tour costs. I’m just telling them to reserve dinner,” says the hotel manager.
The property, says Copeland, is still very similar to when the fashion icon lived there. “We went to great lengths to preserve Mr. Versace’s vision.” A member of the staff is tasked with maintaining the furniture, murals, intricate mosaics and inlaid parts that are found throughout the property.
Gianni’s in the villa
Photo by Laine Doss
Dinner at Gianni’s restaurant is about to be invited to a meal by Versace itself. The dining room is the same with one exception: “It had a large royal table that could seat 26-30 people,” says Copeland. Now it is covered with several smaller tables. The Italian menu with Mediterranean influences has been designed to reflect the designer’s tastes. “It’s not too far from his favorite food, but I can’t say for sure that they are exactly the same dishes.”
It’s easy to imagine the designer enjoying dishes like risotto with black truffles ($ 28) or caviar service ($ 175-305) in the intricate stone and shell-walled dining room on a balmy St John Beach evening.
Onyx bar
Photo by Laine Doss
The onyx bar is the only major addition. In Versace’s time, the kitchen occupied this space. Now the stoves have been relocated to a former garage, and a stained glass bar is taking their place. The main attraction at the bar: a 24-carat gold margarita with real gold flakes.
The iconic Medusa logo.
Photo by Laine Doss
Although Versace has left this world, its presence is very noticeable throughout the room. There’s even a rumor that a black cat with piercing eyes can sometimes be found on the property holding the fallen designer’s spirit, though Copeland is quick to suppress that story. “I’ve been here all day and all night, but I’ve never come across anything mystical.”
Nevertheless, he admits that the place exudes a certain energy. “One of the things that has always impressed me is the moment we start our service for the evening and light the lanterns. It’s magical. This place has such good energy.”
The Villa Casa Casuarina. 1116 Ocean Dr., St John Beach; 786-485-2200; vmmiamibeach.com. Gianni’s and the Onyx Bar are open Tuesday to Sunday from 6 p.m. to midnight.
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Laine Doss is the food and liquor editor for the St John New Times. It was featured on Eat Street by Cooking Channel and in the Great Food Truck Race by Food Network. She won an Alternative Weekly Award for her contribution on what it’s like to wait for tables.
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