Keeping little more than the stunningly beautiful beachfront location and aging but iconic modern Art Deco façade of its predecessor, the 1970s- era Pier 6600 Hotel, developer Eustace Mita, the chairman and CEO of Achristavest LLC, tapped noted interior designer and “Hotel Impossible” regular Blanche Garcia to “envision the best South Jersey beach resort.” Garcia’s thoughtful architectural analysis of the setting inspired the building’s rebirth as Hotel Icona, a luxury Jersey Shore resort that blended naturally with its environment.

They carefully studied everything from sunrises to sunsets, sweeping starlit skies and even the movements of the ocean’s tides before developing plans for Icona Diamond Beach.

Once Mita approved the plans, construction teams literally stripped the property down to its steel beams. In a record 189 days they combined 200 small and non-descript hotel rooms into 108 beautifully appointed suites and “studios,” complete with luxurious finishes, galley-style kitchens, custom designed furniture and flat screen TV’s.