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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami Area HOTELS and MOTELS Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1950's - Algiers Hotel on Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
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1950's Courtesy of Stan Meade

1950's - Algiers Hotel on Collins Avenue, Miami Beach

2600 block of Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida


Thank you to Stan Meade for contributing this great old image and Jeff Levine for identifying the location and photographer as Ernie W. Skog.


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Guest 23-Mar-2017 15:57
My parents took me to a reunion party in NYC a year after they stayed at the Algiers. I was around 9 years old. 1961 or so. At the end of the evening Toody (Joe E. Ross) from Car 54 where are you, got up on stage and rolled a big barrel drum filled with names for the grand prize of a week for two at the Algiers hotel. He called out my name! My father urged me up on the stage and Toody, OOO, OOO. told me that I had won the grand prize. My parents were ecstatic and drove myself and my older sister to florida for the week stay during our Easter break from school. We were given the royal treatment.
Guest 02-Feb-2017 19:12
We had my Bar Mitzvah reception at the Algiers in 1957. Stan or Dan Margulies ran the hotel for the owner. Margulies was a close friend and my Dad did business with the hotel (and many others). He gave my Dad a puppy from his pet's litter that my brother named, Algie. We had a huge crowd in attendence, local family and friends as well as family from NY, NJ & PA.
Elaine Akouris 12-Feb-2016 15:46
Elaine - My husband and I spent one week there during September 1956 on our Honeymoon. It was MARVELOUS. There were about 28 other honeymoon couples there at the same time and the hotel staff treated us all like ROYALTY. The dinner parties every night, the photo album we all received for our memory pictures and the fun time at the pool. Will never forget the 7 layer chocolate cake - yummy! My husband was chosen as the M/C during one of the evening "honeymoon dinner parties". He loved telling his jokes as did others that were selected as M/Cs on other nights. We visited Miami during 1999 and were sorry that it was no longer there.
Guest 16-Sep-2015 13:54
Sol - Had a cabana and learned to swim at the Algiers in late 1950's. Had a Bar Mitzvah there in 1969, Then started worked there as a pool boy / lifeguard from 1969 to 1973 right before it closed. A lot of great memories.
Flo 06-Aug-2015 02:33
We just visited the old Promenade Hotel on Miami Beach. It's no longer a hotel but is housing for international students who are learning English. 50 years ago my husband was a bell boy while taking a semester off from college in Michigan. Now he's a retired Engineer.
Bela & Ben 03-Jun-2015 13:13
My husband and I spent our honeymoon at the Algiers Hotel in September 1965, during hurricane Betsy. It was known as the honeymoon hotel. We will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this September 2015 and I am looking for any one who knows what happened to Algiers Hotel. I would love to spend an evening there. Please help.
Doris & Al Stall 31-Jan-2015 18:47
My husband and I went to the Algiers Hotel on Sept. 10, 1955 for our honeymoon. At that time it was known as a honeymoon hotel. We spent 7 days there and then flew over to Havana, Cuba for 3 days. It was a really wonderful honeymoon package. We were down in Miami last Saturday and went to Collins and 14th Street and there were apartment buildings there instead of the Algiers Hotel. What a pitty!!! It was a wonderful hotel and we have great memories that we still remember almost sixty years later.
Norris 12-Jan-2015 16:51
I stayed at the Promenade Hotel with my parents in 1954. They were on a 6-week railroad convention as my Dad was a delegate. (Really, it was the old Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen). The main thing I remember about the Promenade was the pool lifeguard whose name was Umberto Ignacio Tomayo Rodriguez. Have no idea why that is in memory. We really enjoyed HUGE sundaes at the Algiers, and that's all I remember of the hotel. Wolfies was really neat. Families would come in, order 4 plates and 1 entrée. They then proceeded to share the sauerkraut and pickles that were on the table. In 1969, my wife and I won a trip to Super Bowl III between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Jets. We were saddened about the Colts loss (being from Baltimore) but what a contribution to the merger of the AFL and the NFL. We stayed at the Casablanca for that one.
doreen milner 12-Oct-2014 01:26
We stayed at the Algiers while on our honeymoon in 1964. Will be celebrating 50 years.

For the gentleman asking about Jimmy Grippo, I am his neice.
David Revell 09-Apr-2014 23:20
I stayed at the Algiers along with about 25 other newspaper carriers the weekend after JFK was shot in November of 1963. I was 17 years old. We all were the winners of a week in Miami for selling newspaper contracts. We were all teenagers. A buddy and I threw coconuts down to the sidewalk from our room hopping to bust them open. The next time I was in Miami was in December of 1972 and I took a photo of the Hotel from across the water. It looked the same as I remembered it. Fond memories.
Quinn 02-Jan-2014 14:43
I just bought a collection of drink stirs from the 50's and 60's and found one from the Algiers with a little genie on top. So awesome to see posts about the hotel!!!
Don Boyd17-Oct-2013 02:15
Donna, I suppose you have not done searches for "Promenade Hotel Miami Beach" using the Google and Bing internet search engines? If you had done so, you would see that the hotel is no longer in business but the search results will show you results of sites with photos of the Promenade such as this one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edge_and_corner_wear/7050584339/ The Google and Bing search engines are great for finding out information.

Perhaps one of this site's viewers will write in and provide more information about the Promenade Hotel, such as when it was demolished or changed names, etc.

Don
.
donna 16-Oct-2013 15:07
How can I find out if it is?
donna 16-Oct-2013 15:06
My parents stayed at the Promanade hotel in 1957. Was wondering if THAT is still there?
Steve Papernick 11-Sep-2013 17:59
I went to stay at the Algiers in 1969 in July. It was my first trip to Miami Beach. The hotel was comfortable but showing some age. I also remember Dave the crazy waiter. My friend and I decided to eat in the coffee shop after two nights exposure to Dave in the dining room.
laurie rothman 03-Jun-2013 19:49
when we had some trouble in my small town in new york circa 1970 my mom wooshed me down to the algiers hotel,, we had quite the time,,, we ate alot of meals there but knowng that sambos was down the block also brought a huge smile,, my mom is gone now ,, but when i drive by there on my way home now,, i always smile to myself,, those were the days my friend

thanks for the memories
Ralph 02-May-2013 00:45
I stayed there in 1962. I was 12 and still remember the trip
Chris 21-Oct-2012 23:05
I've heard wonderful stories of this hotel. It was actually where my grandparents went for their honeymoon during 1957. I am hoping also to find out how I would be able to get in contact with the photographer or copyright holder to get his permission to reprint and frame the photo as a gift to my grandfather. Anyone have any thoughts? Thanks.
joey kop 27-Mar-2012 16:51
What a fabulous picture and walk down memory lane for me. I vacationed at the Algiers with my parents in the 1970s. I thought the trip to the Algiers was the ultimate hotel and I remember that I was impressed by the dining and entertainment but could not tell you the names of any of the entertainers. I also remember a bartender at the outside pool and think his name was Ray. Anyone out there who can help me out? Does anyone remember the Reiz family owners (I think) and their son, Lenny? That is who I hung out there with and coincidentally after probably 40 years, I actually ran into Lenny Reiz at his restaurant that he currently owns in Hallendale Beach. The world is smaller than you think.
Geno Munari 17-Feb-2012 20:19
Hi Pepe. I am writing a book on the Hypnotist Jimmy Grippo. Do you remember him? Who was the owner of the Algiers? Did they have gambling?
Charles 24-Jan-2012 00:28
It was great to see your post as I too have fond memories of the Algiers. We would drive down to Miami from New York City in the month of August- yes August. It was a big deal for my family and I remember that my dad paid $28.00 a day for all for of us (with meals). Don't forget this was the early 1960's.
As you mentioned, the entertainment was great with Gil Marr along with Lina and Gus DeCastro. Wow! Dave the crazy waiter- I'll never forget him. I beleive Charles Schlack was the hotel manager.
I beleive it was 1964 when a major hurricane hit Miami while we were at the Algiers.
It was a wonderful during those years with great people, great service and great music.
Thanks for the memories!
Charles DiDonato
Stuart Baron 02-Nov-2011 07:45
My family spend christmas/New years and Easter break at the Algiers from 1964-1974. Such fond childhood memories. I was 5 yrs old till 15 yrs old. I remember everything about that hotel and even the staff. From Gil Marr and Lina Decastro in the Aladan Room night club, Her daughter Yvonne was the kids entertainment counsler who I had a big crush on! The bird cage in the back of the huge lobby. The food twice a day on the american plan. Kippors and eggs for breakfast. Crazy Dave the waiter for dinner each night. The pool, the beach. The shops down stairs, the coffe shop that made the best "Black and White" learned that from the New Yorkers. Met so many nice people. I even kept in touch with a few for a couple of years after we stoped going. I have old home movies my father took each year! What great times! My name is Stuart Baron, Balimore Md.
Ray Pepe 30-Mar-2010 22:55
Wow, I worked there in the Rubayiat Room as a waiter when I was in school at Embry Riddle 59-62.