Hotel La Residence du Vieux-Port ★★★★

Marseille is France’s second largest city, pulsating with creative vibes and an urban edge. But it’s not just contemporary culture that thrives in Marseille. It’s a major hat tip to the region’s past as a vital port city, when it drew in immigrants from all over Europe - a thread of history that continues into the present day, creating a multicultural city.

Set by the sea, it proves to be a popular destination for sun-seekers. The port is perhaps the most important part of the city, a vibrant hub of restaurants, boutique shops and artisan studios. It is here in the Vieux Port (the Old Port) that I find myself checking into La Residence du Vieux Port. With spectacular views, I revelled in watching the sun-scorched daytimes evolve into a vibrant nightlife framed by shimmering water.

Simplicity is the name of the game at La Residence – a flurry of white walls and wooden floors. Taking inspiration from retro 50s design, there are bursts of colours, and a heavy emphasis on comfortable style. In the reception area, a grand tapestry by Jean Lurcat sprawls out across the wall, inspiring an avant-garde ambience.

In my room, the whitewashed walls are brought to life with abstract paintings and Bauhaus-inspired furniture. From the French windows I could see across to the beautiful Notre Dame de la Garde Cathedral.

The elegant Relais 50 restaurant oozes 50s French charm; surrounded by chequered tiles and rich red velvet, I admired the views across the waterfront whilst enjoying a contemporary selection of French cuisine – whilst the Relais boasts a vintage design, its menu is at the forefront of French food.

What I admired most about Marseille was its age-old scenery dotted with historic buildings paired with its hunger for the alternative and new. La Residence du Vieux Port showcases this perfectly offering the ideal place to explore both Marseille’s rich past and its exciting present.