Around that time, designer Gianni Versace moved to Ocean Drive, a block away from Palace, and became a regular fixture. He would bring his celebrity friends to eat, too. Stars like Luciano Pavarotti, Elton John, Madonna and Princess Diana were frequently spotted and as Ocean Drive became a hot spot for fashion models, with new photoshoots and music videos being shot every day.
By the time Thomas Donall, a nightclub owner and designer from Michigan, took over Palace in 2007, the restaurant and bar was in decline. “The kitchen was outdated, the sound was bad,” he remembers.
“It needed major renovation and I was semi-retired.
