Can Daer Nightclub and Dayclub at the Seminole Hard Rock Rival South Beach's Dance Clubs?

The exuberant Guitar Hotel at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino opened this past weekend, and it did not skimp on any detail. The $1.5 billion expansion includes a new "dayclub" and nightclub. Set to debut on Halloween, Daer will offer partygoers a club trifecta.

The Seminole Hard Rock's Daer is the concept's second outpost; the original is located at the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. But South Florida's Daer will offer two clubbing experiences and a rooftop bar. The dayclub and adjacent nightclub offer their own styles and flair.

“We are trying to bring an elevated day and nightlife experience, and we want world-class service,” says Matt Minichino, the Hard Rock's corporate vice president of nightlife/daylife. “We want a daylife model that may not exist currently in the market or even in the state.”

The 21,000-square-foot dayclub offers three pools, cabanas, daybeds, and hot tubs. The DJ booth is equipped with a 40-foot LED screen for guests partying among tables of bloody marys. The VIP area boasts bungalows that provide amenities such as private pools and bottle service.

"The number one thing people have said to me is, ‘I can’t believe South Florida is finally going to have a real dayclub,'" Minichino tells New Times. “Not that I’m downgrading, but we have the ability to have a full-on experience that clubs on South Beach might not have.”

Daer’s nighttime venue is slightly smaller (18,000 square feet) and features an enormous LED centerpiece and a convertible indoor/outdoor space. The attached rooftop bar overlooks the lagoon and pool areas. Both clubs are equipped with Function One speakers, a touch that aims to please audiophiles.
Daer will kick off its opening week with EDM royalty: This Thursday, Halloween, the nightclub will open with DJ Five and a “sexy costume contest” offering more than $50,000 in cash prizes. Friday will bring Dillion Francis. The following day, guests will get their first chance to experience a proper dayclub vibe with Tiësto at 1 p.m. Closing out the weekend will be a Sunday-afternoon set by the Chainsmokers — the duo's second South Florida show in less than a month.

Minichino was tight-lipped about future bookings, but he suggested that previous shows at the Atlantic City locations might serve as a guide. Perhaps, then, South Florida can look forward to seeing Alesso, Drake, J. Cole, and Marshmello. Minichino promises a lineup announcement for November and December will be out soon. “South Florida will be the blueprint moving forward,” he adds.

General admission to both clubs will cost about $35. The dayclub’s hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The nightclub will operate Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. till “late."

Daer. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; 954-779-4750; hardrocknightlife.com.