Casa Tua originally opened as an Italian restaurant on James Avenue in Miami Beach, but has grown into a fabulous boutique hotel and private members’ club – exactly what the turn of the millennium demanded for its cozy upstairs lounge.
Its co-owners are Micky and Leticia Grendene, who moved to Miami in the late 1980s. Restaurants and private clubs are known for hosting guests in the home, from which organically formed.
“The Private Club is truly our treasure, and our 1,500 members are like family to us,” says Caroline Nunez, director of global membership and brand development at Casa Tua.
“The owners really wanted to create a space that felt different, and when you see our Trackside Club on the F1 circuit, you can see that we like to do things our own way. It’s like they want a home that feels like home restaurant, hence the name Casa Tua.”
When Formula 1 came to Miami, Casa Tua’s move into the track hospitality space was a logical step, following the Tennis World Association’s lead.
“Our relationship with the Dolphins organization came from the Miami Open, where we created a smaller pop-up that was still active (at the Grand Prix) as a smaller VIP space, that was our toes in the water, and Based on success they asked us to do so.
“It’s really not like a traditional hospitality suite in F1. We’re all about the soul and that’s the essence of Casa Tua.”
Not only does the Trackside Club’s interior create a cozy ambiance for its well-appointed lounges, but it’s also perfectly positioned, with unrivaled views of Turn 1 from inside the track, providing a fantastic panorama for the start of the race.
A highlight of its venue is the stunning black and white photo art wall motorsport pictures – Selected from an unrivaled 100-year archive of 26 million photos.
“Last year, in an effort to showcase the spirit of racing, we combined the history of the sport with images on our highlight wall,” Nunez added. “We started with 50 pictures, we had a bigger space, so there was a bigger art wall, about 100 pictures.
“It’s really arresting – people are drawn to it and reminded of F1’s great past. Micky and Leticia combed through thousands of photos, focusing on black and white, and picked them one by one.”
The space accommodates 400 ticketed guests a day, though the crowds include F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali, Liberty Media’s Greg Maffei and the Miami Dolphins’ Tom Garfunkel. star clients, they also tend to bring in some extra guests.