Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, The Phocaean city’s finest address

Ordinarily, visitors request a “room with a view”. At the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, the entire hotel enjoys an exceptional panoramic view. Just next door stands the Pharo Palace, an imperial residence built for Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte in 1852. Further below, there is the St Nicolas citadel, constructed by King Louis XIV to protect Marseille’s natural harbour. Just opposite, Fort St Jean with its imposing Square Tower, guards the entrance to the Vieux Port (the Old Port) lulled by the gentle rolling of sailboats and small fishing craft. And in the distance looms the basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, which watches attentively over the city. Beauty lurks behind each window, extending an enticing invitation to contemplation.

This is the sumptuous setting that the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port offers its visitors; but the hotel, the perfect stopping place between the Riviera, the Camargue and the Luberon, and just a short boat ride away from the Château d’If and the Calanques, conceals many other treasures.

Considered an emblem of the city’s renaissance by the inhabitants of Marseille, the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port is also the best address for a stay in the heart of the Phocaean City, whether for leisure or business.
And it is an address to rediscover, since it has just undergone an incredible metamorphosis, orchestrated by Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet. Charmed by the hotel’s magic, they immersed themselves in its history and then, like set designers, produced an all-new decor, inspired by yachting and the marine environment.

By carefully matching colours and noble materials in surprising combinations, the Hertrich-Adnet studio created a decor where luxury abounds and a quiet elegance inundates each room. A veritable tribute to the Mediterranean, the chosen theme is evident as soon as one enters the lobby. A pleasure for the eyes and the senses, the view, the lapping of waves and a fragrant marine breeze awaken the senses of anyone who steps inside.

The lobby shares a large open space with the bar where different atmospheres come together around noble materials, trimmed with white tufted leather, precious woods and works of art recounting the founding of Marseille.

The bar – Le Carré – became THE place to be in Marseille in a matter of weeks. The sea spreads out below through the expansive bay windows where the life of the port mysteriously unfolds, veiling and unveiling itself at the mercy of the sky. The bar thus joined the hotel’s gourmet restaurant in the select circle of the city’s smartest addresses.

But the biggest surprise the hotel offered its guests is undoubtedly the newly created So SPA. The opening of the Marseille spa is the second such event, following the inauguration of the spa at the London St James Sofitel. At the Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, So SPA has joined forces with Carita beauty care products, an uncontested expert in the realm of beauty care and representative of the most refined French cosmetology.

The minimalist but ethereal 600-sq.m So SPA marvellously mingles terrestrial and marine materials to create a refined, soothing and luminous atmosphere. The fragrances instantly transport visitors to the heart of the Provençal scrubland with its aromas of the South that delight the senses.

Beauty rituals and treatments at So SPA by Sofitel are presented in a way similar to the menu of a French gourmet restaurant, another area of Sofitel-style excellence. Starters, lasting 30 minutes, are designed for busy urbanites looking for rest and relaxation after a busy day. Main Courses and Desserts take an hour and feature body massages, facials, hot-stone massages and other delights intended to nourish the body and soul.

So SPA by Sofitel has also designed its own range of therapy products, So Exhilarating and So Rejuvenating, exclusive treatments enhanced by Sofitel music played on So SPA iPods to create a unique experience. All the massage tables boast a version of the celebrated Sofitel MyBed concept, featured in all Sofitel Luxury Hotels and now converted for spa therapy for optimal comfort and perfect relaxation.

In addition to the So FIT fitness centre, enhanced by a relaxation pool, relaxation beach, sauna and steam bath, the So WELL area features a “duo” therapy suite with sea-view, three private therapy rooms and a private sun-deck with the old port providing a scenic panorama.

Aside from signature therapies, the Carita brand administers its unique know-how by way of totally original therapies combined with exceptional products, for example the made-to-measure renewal facial care adjusted to each skin’s own needs: replenishing cool care, soothing pampering care, delicious nourishing care or matifying balancing care.

The Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port has updated its look while remaining loyal to its history, thus confirming its leading position among Marseille’s luxury hotels. That position perfectly illustrates the up-market shift in the Sofitel network’s strategy.

The City of Marseille, for its part, will be the World Water Capital in 2012 and the European Capital of Culture in 2013, creating a fantastic opportunity to enhance community spirit and mobilize the city and its inhabitants, with the added bonus of increased international visibility.

For more information visit www.sofitel.com

This entry was posted on Thursday 17 September 2009 à 14 h 14 min and is filed under Hotel Spa e-News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.