Just when you thought you’d seen everything luxury hotels have to offer, when you start thinking there are no surprises left in the world. That’s when you find something that makes you think again.
The road is narrow, easy bends following on one after another with nothing you could really call a road sign as you drive through hills of Gigaro, under the shady Mediterranean scrub overlooking one of the most beautiful places in the world: St Tropez. Just round one of those innumerable bends, perfectly integrated into the colours of nature, there’s something surprising, something still capable of amazing: absolute simplicity.
Welcome to the Lily of the Valley, a new hotel dedicated entirely to wellness, designed by Philippe Starck.
“Design must invest in an environment without destabilizing it”, and the celebrated French designer has been absolutely true to his words in this hotel. It welcomes you with neutral tones and soft lines that don’t scream for attention at all costs, on the contrary: it’s a rare thing to enter a hotel of this kind where the feeling isn’t wonder and awe, but rather of total harmony with the environment. The wonder is in the beauty of the surrounding nature: the trees, the sky, the view across the infinite sea enjoyed from every corner of the already iconic restaurant Le Vista, directed by chef Vincent Maillard.
This feeling of well-being and harmony stays with you as you relax by the pool in the hotel’s generous internal courtyard, or at the Wellness village with spa, sauna, an incredible snow shower with ice fountain and seven rooms specifically for energising and Ayurvedic beauty treatments …
The rooms and suites, from 35 to 80 square metres, are located in several houses immersed in the wildness of nature.
The same nature you can appreciate from the hotel’s other restaurant, the minute Le Village, an intimate little corner, open all day long, served by the same kitchen as the main restaurant.
But as we said, the hotel has a special vocation to Wellness: specialized in weight control, Lily of the Valley welcomes guests all year long looking for a bespoke sojourn. Whether their priority is fitness, detox or weight loss, guests are offered customized wellness programs with expert assistance, to help them achieve their aims. Every guest’s stay is tailored to their demands and adjusted if necessary, based on the needs discussed with coaches and therapists.
But don’t worry, if your idea of wellness means “sweet idleness”, there’s still a place for you at Lily of the Valley!