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American Morning

Versace Mansion Becoming Hotel

Aired August 17, 2001 - 11:55   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The Versace Mansion on Miami's fashionable South Beach is changing now -- get this, folks -- into a hotel. You can book a room there if you like for up to six grand a night.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: If you dare.

Telecom exec. Peter Loftin brought the house -- or bought the house, rather, last year, and he's just gotten approval to open the hotel. That's expected to happen before the end of the year.

HARRIS: That's right.

Peter Loftin joins us from South Beach right now and to talk about this pricey project.

Good morning, how are you?

PETER LOFTIN, VERSAGE MANSION OWNER: Good morning, Leon and Kyra. It's a pleasure to be with you this morning.

HARRIS: I got to tell you, from what we can see here, it looks like the place is looking pretty good.

LOFTIN: I'll tell you what, it's an enchanting, beautiful place, and I am just happy to be here right now in sunny south Florida.

PHILLIPS: And you're sitting poolside, right? Is this inside the hotel in like in a courtyard or...

LOFTIN: Kyra, I'm right in front of the pool that Johnny Versace created, which is the most magnificent, enchanting pool probably in the world. It's a wonderful place to be and it just gives you a good feeling all around.

HARRIS: All right, lets get right to it, Peter.

First things first: Tell us about how many rooms there are and why is it -- why is it that any room in here could be worth $6 thousand a night?

PHILLIPS: We want to know what you get for $6 thousand, Peter.

LOFTIN: Well, I tell you get a lot of... HARRIS: Yes. Or who you get for six thousand...

LOFTIN: Well, you get a lot of amenities. It's a tremendous property. It was designed by one of the most world-famous designers. The Mosaic work, the other artwork that was designed in the house, is in --fully intact. And the house -- the property was very expensive to produce. And so, the only way that we can afford to have the 15 rooms that we have here, charge that much, is to have a decent price for it.

Each room will come with its own valet and a lot of special amenities. You won't check in here and won't check out. We'll know who you are when come here and we'll know who you when you leave. And we'll want you back.

HARRIS: I bet you will.

PHILLIPS: Tell us about the Moroccan (ph) Room real quickly.

Leon's told he get's a belly dancer if he stays there.

HARRIS: Hey, hey, hey.

LOFTIN: Well, I don't know about the belly dancer. But I tell you something, it's a very relaxing room, it's full of Ravelli (ph) silk fabrics, it's candle lit, it's just a -- it's a beautiful place to sit and relax during the daytime or the evening.

HARRIS: I got to tell you, I just came back from Florence, Italy, I got to tell you, they're Mosaic work I just saw in the video here, it looks just like the same caliber of the stuff we saw over there.

Peter, we understand you're not open yet, but when you do open, can we come back and get a better look?

LOFTIN: You know, we'd love to have you, Leon. you know, the whole house was done by the Italian artisans, and it's just a fabulous piece of artwork, and that's what attracted me to the house in the beginning.

HARRIS: All right, Peter.

PHILLIPS: So, Peter -- we can both come back, Peter? Is that what you said?

LOFTIN: Kyra, you're both welcome. We're going to open New Year's Eve, hopefully. We're working hard to make it happen. But you're both welcome to come back.

HARRIS: All right, in other words, keep hope alive.

PHILLIPS: Exactly.

Peter Loftin, thank you.

HARRIS: Peter Loftin, thanks a lot.

We will keep an eye on the project. It's beautiful stuff down there.

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