I paid $860 for a night in the cheapest room at the Versace Mansion and felt like the hotel’s one-and-only guest

Business Insider’s reporter was a guest at Villa Casa Casuarina, also known as the Versace Mansion.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I booked one night at the former Versace Mansion-turned-hotel in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood.
I stayed in the Villa Casa Casuarina’s Aurora Suite for $864, the cheapest option when I booked.
My posh suite and a gilded pool made me feel like I was an A-lister like Kim Kardashian.

I’m not typically one for fancy things, but my stay at the Versace Mansion brought out a posh side of me I didn’t know existed.

I spent one lavish night inside Gianni Versace’s former home, now the luxury boutique hotel Villa Casa Casuarina, in October 2021. I booked the least expensive room available for about $860.

I felt like a pampered VIP guest from check-in to check-out.

The hotel has a rich history as host to the elite.

A composite image of the Versace Mansion and Kim Kardashian stands on a balcony at The Villa Casa Casuarina hotel. — Radcliffe/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images

The Spanish-style home, named Casa Casuarina when it was built in the 1930s, was a hot spot for the original owner’s bohemian friends, according to the hotel’s website.

Fashion designer Gianni Versace transformed the mansion in 1992, creating 12 suites to accommodate his family and friends, which included Princess Diana and Elton John, Vanity Fair reported.

Several years after Versace’s death, the mansion was transformed into a luxury hotel, and the Villa Casa Casuarina now caters to celebrities like the Kardashians.

The lobby was mostly empty when I walked in with my duffel bag.

Inside the Versace Mansion, the glamorous lobby is seen from a balcony — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The first thing you see when you walk past the front desk is the vast lobby and restaurant on the ground floor.

I noticed that restaurant guests weren’t able to explore the whole mansion — only the first floor. I didn’t see anyone else aside from staff on the higher floors.

I thought I’d feel intimidated in a hotel frequented by A-listers, but the staff made me feel welcome immediately.

A composite image of the versace mansion show hallways leading inside and out — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I arrived five hours before check-in, hoping to drop off my bags, but my room was ready early. Someone took my luggage upstairs, and other staff members greeted me on the way. They were so attentive that I felt like I was the only person staying there.

I stayed in the Aurora Suite on the third floor.

A composite image of in the versace mansion show the door and the key — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Rather than a key card, I was given a golden key with a tiny replica of the hotel’s mission bell attached to a keychain. I had to show my key upon reentering the hotel to indicate I was a guest.

When I stepped inside, I was in awe of the size and decor of my room.

The author stands in the Aurora Suite in the former Versace Mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I was so grateful to have all this space to myself that I started jumping around in excitement, using my socks to slide gracefully across the wooden floors.

A four-poster king-size bed topped with swans was the centerpiece.

A wide shot of the Aurora Suite in the former Versace Mansion shows the golden bed with lamps on either side — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bed was soft, but firm — the perfect combination, in my opinion. I knew I would get a good night’s sleep the moment I sat on it.

There was also a mounted TV on the wall facing the bed.

I don’t think I’d ever had a king bed to myself before this experience.

The author stretches out on the bed in the Aurora Suite in the former Versace Mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When fully stretched out, I felt like it went on forever as I drifted off to sleep later that night.

There were several golden throw pillows matching the room on the bed. Behind them were the most comfortable pillows I’ve ever rested my head on. Their cases felt crisp and cool on my face.

The suite had window seating with a view overlooking the pool and a glass table in front of it.

A view of a bench and glass table in front of stained-glass windows in the Aurora Suite in the former Versace Mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It was a great spot to do work or eat room service meals.

To the right of the sitting area was a closet with two thick, cozy robes and a door leading to the bathroom.

A composite image in the versace mansion show the robes and the author wearing one — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The weight of the robe made me feel like I was being cuddled as I walked around my suite.

The shower was my favorite part of the whole suite.

A view of the shower from the outside in the Aurora Suite in the former Versace Mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

With decorative tiling, showerheads on either side, and an additional handheld showerhead, it was the most luxurious shower I’ve ever stepped into.

I couldn’t get enough of it. In less than 24 hours, I took three showers, and I still think of it while I’m waiting for the water to heat up in my New York apartment.

There were also luxury Italian soaps and lotions that left my skin feeling clean and soft.

The room also had a large mirror tall enough to see your whole outfit — including your shoes.

Composite image in the versace mansion show the right side of the bed, which has a large mirror — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It seemed fitting for a former fashion designer’s home.

Looking up at the ceiling, it was wild to think this was once someone’s home.

A composite image in the versace mansion show the bathroom ceiling — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Living among so much detailed artwork inspired me to consider making my own. I wonder if that’s how Versace felt.

After checking out my suite, I walked up and down the hotel’s stairs without running into a single person.

A composite image in the versace mansion show decorative stairwells — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I felt like I was in an art museum with exclusive access to stunning tile patterns and dazzling stained-glass windows.

Around lunchtime, I headed downstairs and noticed Gianni’s, the hotel restaurant, was filling up with customers.

Gianni's restaurant outside the former versace mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Restaurant patrons had a view of the glistening hotel pool but couldn’t swim in it. But I could.

As I walked past all the tables, I was awestruck to find the most beautiful pool waiting for me, and it was completely empty.

A view of the pool outside the former versace mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The Thousand Mosaic Pool is made up of thousands of 24k gold tiles.

Stepping into a pool that looked like a piece of art in front of so many people dining made me feel like the fanciest person on earth.

The pool was shaded, and the water felt cool. As I dipped underwater, I thought I could spend years swimming in this pool every day and still not notice every detail. It was mesmerizing.

After a dip, I headed up to the rooftop deck, which felt like my own private terrace.

A composite image in the versace mansion show views of the rooftop deck — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Being on the roof reminded me how close I was to the ocean. The beach was right across the street, and I could smell the ocean and feel its breeze.

The rooftop also offered views of colorful South Beach. At night and with no one else around me, it felt like the whole mansion was just for me.

The author stands in front of the ocean on top of the versace mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I didn’t just feel like a Kardashian up there — I felt like a Versace. To me, that regal feeling was priceless.

Above the deck, stairs led to an observatory.

A view of the observatory in the former versace mansion at night — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The observatory was a calming, peaceful space that felt worlds apart from the famous South Beach party scene below.

Versace reconstructed the observatory when he moved in, adding a new copper dome, according to the company’s website.

That night I slept like a baby and woke up to a complimentary breakfast of bacon, buttery pastries, and orange juice.

The author holds orange juice in the air in front of her breakfast in the former versace mansion — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Although I ate my breakfast in a T-shirt and basketball shorts, I still felt glamorous and was grateful for the chance to stay somewhere so special. Perhaps I am one for fancy things.

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