Last September, I had the opportunity to discover the Nhow Marseille (formerly Palm Beach), which reopened its doors in Marseilles after 10 months of renovation. Completely refurbished by Marseille architects Claire Fatosme and Christian Lefèvre, with Teresa Sapey at the helm, it is built around the theme of contrast: the confrontation between two contrasting worlds: Provence, with its light and nature that inspire joy and symbolize vacations, and the city of Marseille, with the shadow of its disorder, disobedience and pride.
The sea view represents the light side of Marseille, its Provençal identity, its light and joie de vivre, and inspires all spaces open to the sea: the reception hall, bar, restaurant, bedrooms and large lounges. Spaces without a view are treated with a more complex vision, that of the dark side of Marseille, with a mix of rougher, rougher materials, the dominance of black, punctuated by flashes of yellow.
With 150 rooms, a restaurant and a roof bar overlooking the Mediterranean, a spa, a waterside pool and the Roucas Blanc spring, classified as a public utility thermal spring, at its heart, this place evokes the city’s ability to renew and surprise, again and again.
THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF NHOW MARSEILLE
Le Lobby: Behind the desk, a fresco by Marseilles artist Tristan Bonnemain featuring historical and contemporary Marseilles characters, both real and fictional.
The Sky Bar: Between the chandelier made of 4,000 steel sardines (created for Sciabetti by English artist Frances Bromley) and the sober furnishings evoking waves and pebbles, the light blue of the sky and the dark blue of the aquatic depths, the sky bar is a magnificent visual plunge into Marseille’s harbor.
The Cactus Bar: An island of dazzling yellow in the middle of a large space dominated by shadows resembling an underwater platform, this is a relaxing space that evokes the exotic gardens of the Mediterranean city.
The Tunnel Bar: it oscillates between the cool, deep blue of the aquatic depths, the light blue of the gushing spring and water surface, and the dynamic warmth of yellow, orange and pink. The visitor thus passes through different sensory states, whether arriving from inside the hotel and heading towards the light, or leaving it to penetrate the depths of the site. The whole is inspired by the work of Vasarely and his hypnotic geometric forms, like a long gallery of psychedelic art, punctuated by reference design pieces such as Capellini’s Drum and Tube Chairs, and Moroso’s Shadowy armchair. Upon exiting the tunnel, visitors find themselves on the restaurant level.
The restaurant: it opens onto the blue of the sky, the sea and the sunlight. The ceramic floor is a continuation of the Tunnel Bar, the blues lighten and sometimes tend towards emerald green, just as the sea changes color according to the sky, the white asserts itself, notably with the Lapse lamps from Flos. The furniture, with its soft, pure lines and colors, evokes the simplicity and cheerfulness of life by the sea.
Communal areas: The walls feature tags reinterpreted in a palette of grey and black, evoking the narrow streets of Marseille’s old Panier district. So as not to detract from the minimalism of the walls, signage and all visual graphic elements, created by Marseilles-based graphic designer Adrien Bargin, are indicated on the floor by light projections.
The rooms: Opening onto the sea through a bay window onto a terrace, the rooms are bathed in natural light reflected by white furniture. The lines of the white Corian desk and headboard evoke the ridge line of the Calanques massif, and a white sail stretched across the wall indicates the exact longitude and latitude of the hotel. The whiteness of the whole is interrupted by a single Zanotta Alpha meridienne, as bright yellow as the sun.
The Spa: Located on the first floor, the spa features a black-and-white swimming pool naturally fed by the Roucas Blanc spring, a Jacuzzi and a small outdoor pool inspired by a “sardine tin”. The black part of a very vertical volume is lightly lit by a dark blue glass roof, while the white part is situated under a mirror reflecting the nearby sea. The rest area envelops visitors in solar energy, thanks to its entirely yellow floor, walls and ceiling. Under the direction of LV Riviera Spa, the cabin area, which is also open to external customers, offers treatments and protocols by Phytomer, experts in sea treatments.
MY EXPERIENCE IN PHOCEENNE
On day 1, I was able to take a detailed tour of the hotel, enjoy a cocktail lunch on the terrace, sunbathe by the pool, and then get ready for the crazy inauguration party that had been organized, with the fantastic Victoria Abril as master of ceremonies.
In addition to the idyllic setting of the Nhow Marseille, the following day I had the chance to discover some of the city’s must-see sites: a boat trip toIle Degaby, the Old Port, a stroll in the Vieux Panier, a lyrical musical show at the Vieille Charité, an introduction to pétanque at the Maison de la Boule, olive oil tasting and a visit to the sublime MUCEM….
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