Now open at Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort a new lobby sushi and cocktail bar, Korals. The $2.5-million redesign expanded the lobby to include nearly 1,000 square feet of additional space, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, and a sushi bar with a Bisazza tile mural backdrop. The focal point of the new space, a custom-designed, 11-foot tall, three-foot wide, 3,600-pound aquarium column, showcases live Hawaiian moon jellyfish, known for their unique coloration and adaptability to various environments. The new onyx bar features a four-inch chilled drink rail to keep cocktails cold, using a thin layer of man-made snow. Korals serves select appetizers and small plates from the hotel’s signature restaurant Kurrents.
The new layout of Korals will double the seating area in the lobby to accommodate up to 119 guests and will include three communal tables, three half-round booths, fainting lounges, window seating and intimate cocktail cubbies surrounded by drapes. For cocktails, Korals serves martinis, sake martinis, mojitos and a selection of wines from the property’s extensive collection. Cocktails range from $9-12 and specialty sushi rolls are $11-15..
Visually and conceptually, Korals mirrors the shoreline of Marco Island, using shades of blue, green and gold to illustrate the ocean, marshes and sunset. More dramatically, there are freeform wooden elements suspended above the 12-seat backlit bar inspired by the mangroves of South Florida. “The wooden ribs, and their reflections, emulate Marco Island’s magnificent mangroves as they reach out of the glassy water into the sky. Incorporating this indigenous element provides a regional feel to the lobby setting,” said Malcolm Berg of Edge of Architecture in Coral Gables, the architect for the redesign project.
Korals is open from 4:00 p.m. to midnight. The sushi bar serves Tuesdays through Saturdays, 5:00 – 11:00 p.m.
Discount parking available.
