New Hotel of Marseille ★★★★

Imagine sipping a glass of French wine while watching a piece of art being created before your very eyes. This was our introduction to a most unusual stay at The New Hotel of Marseille, a hotel devoted to contemporary art. With the first gallery show in 2006, the hotel opened its doors to a truly innovative concept in the line of New Hotels. From Impressionism to Cubism to Fauvism, the hotel seeks a modern approach to old world hospitality through the paintings created by guest artists who come in and create their work live. Being part of the New Group demands a certain level of excellence, and the New Hotel of Marseille delivers for its unique and colourful approach.

While it might be described as a modern design hotel with a refined sensibility, the New Hotel of Marseille is anything but staid. Its formal brick facade reflects the building’s prior life as the Pasteur Institute, but the rose-coloured florescent signs that lead us to the front door remind us never to judge a book by its cover. It is on first glance that I realize there is something different about this place – we are warmly greeted at reception by a smiling team in orange. This bright welcome is only a hint of the vibrant atmosphere we find inside. The lobby draws us in with bursts of colour and unusual detailing, which carry on throughout the central spaces. Artsy chandeliers are in step with the contemporary art pieces that decorate the common areas. It feels as though we have stumbled into a well-curated gallery, and indeed we have. What a surprise it was to learn that each season, the hotel invites in a new artist to share their space and to create the kind of art which reflects Marseille’s contemporary new face. While the city’s rich – and sometimes gritty – history can be seen in its architectural and cultural monuments, its nomination as a cultural capital has clearly infused the city with new life. We arrived in Marseille expecting to be charmed by its old-world traditions and are captivated to find that there are two faces to this coin.

These days, Marseille is a fascinating jumble of old and new which we discover on our long walks through the city. Located in the seventh arrondissement, sitting opposite the Palais des Congres du Pharo, the hotel has the benefit of being exceptionally located. Overlooking Marseilles Bay, the hotel is only a five-minute walk from the local beach and the Vieux Port, the old central port of the city, and it is there that we start our introduction to the city. An early morning visit to the fish market reveals that the city is still one defined by its traditions. From there we wander into the neighbourhood of Vieux Panier, whose narrow streets are clustered with jaunty yellow buildings capped with terracotta tile roofs and signature Provencal blue shutters. We stumble upon cute shops and cafés in plazas and encounter sweeping views of the port.

The design of the Superior Rooms is minimalist chic design with subdued accents of grey and red is the calm we need when we escape the colourful tapestry of city life. Our own private terrace sits far above the noise of the city, from where we can gaze out at the dreamy views of Marseille and the Pyrenees in the distance. Yet another luxury awaits in the form of a queen size bed whose soft embrace we gladly collapse into after long days of sightseeing.

At the Bistrot Restaurant, we sit under the sun on the terrace and experience an inventive menu filled with notes of the Mediterranean. The dishes are seasonal, local and fresh, with a touch of the exotic, and there is a very good wine list as well. Our menu was a mélange of locally sourced regional specialities, from fresh fish to Spain’s famous jamon serrano or its notable gazpacho. The hotel not only sports its own vegetable garden but also a vineyard, which celebrated its first harvest in 2013. Clearly, like the hotel itself, the Victor is dedicated to doing things differently.