Lily of the Valley, the new 5-star hotel on the Saint-Tropez peninsula, opened its doors just in time for the summer season at the end of June 2019.The owners - Alain Weill and his daughter, Lucie – are at the origin of this project in La Croix-Valmer, a stone’s throw from Gigaro beach which has been a firm favourite of the family for generations.
An emotional dimension that played a part in designer Philippe Starck’s decision to imagine and create this location, that he defines as: “the modern ideal of a fantasy Mediterranean, between the journeys of Ulysses and the ceramics of Ancient Greece.”Lily of the Valley boasts 38 rooms and 6 suites with private terraces and sea views, two restaurants, two swimming pools and an area of over 2,000 m2 dedicated to well being with several gyms and a spa.
Open all year round, this hotel nestled in the heart of the Provençal countryside allows visitors to experience the balmy climate and the light unique to the region. Summer and winter alike, guests can recharge their batteries in the warm comfort of the rooms and suites, discover the refined cuisine of chef Vincent Maillard and enjoy the benefits of the many treatments and physical activities led by trained professionals. Lily of the Valley is a place of freedom and well-being in the heart of the countryside, a meeting point for travellers and locals, wanderers and athletes, friends and lovers.
- THE LOCATION
Established in La Croix-Valmer, the Lily of the Valley Hotel is nestled in the heights of the iconic St-Tropez peninsula, overlooking the Gigaro beaches. A place where authenticity and tranquillity are preserved; where urbanisation is contained, and where beaches are among the largest the region has to offer. From La Croix-Valmer to Saint-Tropez, the countryside is protected by the pristine, and Natura 2000 classified Cap Lardier estate.
Under the leadership of its director, Stéphane Personeni, Lily of the Valley occupies a singular place on the Saint Tropez summer map, a haven of peace within reach of the frenzied Riviera evenings. Meet up with family and friends, on the pool decks or in the restaurants, for special occasions or simple moments of joy. Happiness overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
- THE PREMISES
In this luxuriant countryside, Philippe Starck has imagined and designed an organic architecture specific to the region, composed of small houses organized to form a village.
Inspired by a fantasy Antiquity and modernized with highly contemporary materials, Starck has created an open space, where the light, the colors and the vegetation form a natural link between inside and outside. A confidential, peaceful and welcoming place where man and nature meet, where life is lived to the full. From the restaurants to the swimming pool terraces, from the well-being centre to the rooms and suites, the hotel’s architecture extends over two levels: a solid base with concrete arches on the ground floor, topped with light arbors on the first floor. A play on architecture and materials that allows Lily of the Valley to be fully enjoyed all year round.
At the end of the day, when the breeze cools the night air, the arbors and sunny terraces cede to the warm and soothing interior settings. Around wood burners and fireplaces, beneath the dimmed lighting, guests can gather with friends and lovers for a drink or for dinner.Lily of the Valley is paradise on Earth, once lost but now rediscovered.
- THE CONCEPT: THE WELL-BEING VILLAGE
Lily of the Valley also sets itself apart with an exceptional well-being offer, with a standard of services that is rare and unique in the region.The Well-Being Village boasts some 2,000m2 dedicated to health, fitness and relaxation. It is equipped with a Technogym® fitness room, treatment rooms, a hammam, two saunas, a snow shower and an ice fountain. A 25-metre heated outdoor swimming pool completes the equipment.
Under the supervision of Diane Bernardin, a recognized professional and winner of the Black Diamond Award for the Best Spa Manager, the sunny and soothing Well Being Village is an invitation for relaxation. From beauty treatments to massages, from slimming or detox programmes to physical preparation and fitness, Lily of the
Valley health professionals (naturopaths, dieticians, therapists, sports coaches, etc.) offer treatment and therapy experiences tailored to the desires and needs of each guest.
As part of a holistic approach, they combine natural therapies, age-old techniques, sporting activities and nutritional follow-up in order to help guests regain a balanced lifestyle.Treatments are offered in partnership with prestigious brands: Esthederm® and Biologique Recherche® for facial and body treatments, and Manucurist® for nail care. A hairdressing salon, affording a stunning view over the gardens and Cap Lardier, offers a unique beauty area and service. Hairdressing, by appointment only, is provided by Cut By Fred®.The Well-Being Village is open to hotel guests and accessible by appointment for external clients.
- ROOMS AND SUITES
The 38 rooms and 6 suites are spacious, elegant and comfortable. With a floor area
ranging from 30 to 80m2, each extended by a private terrace, they are located in the
various houses that make up Lily of the Valley.
On the ground floor, the vaulted architecture reinforces the warm intimacy of the
terraces. These rooms and suites are perfect cocoons, the perfect place to rest
during winter trips.On the first floor, the light arbors open the terraces up to the countryside and the sunshine, offering guests unimpeded views over the gardens and the Mediterranean during the long summer evenings.Room service is provided 24/7 by the kitchen teams. The entire hotel offers disabled access and three rooms and one suite have also been equipped with disabled access thanks to a lift.
- RESTAURANTS
Lily of the Valley welcomes guests with two restaurants.The Vista, the hotel’s main restaurant, has a seating capacity of approximately 250 covers, between the welcoming interior dining room that opens out onto the countryside, and the relaxed and friendly setting of the outdoor terrace affording breath-taking sea views. From sunrise to sunset, the restaurant teams work to provide uninterrupted service beside the 25-metre swimming pool overlooking the Bay of Saint-Tropez and its islands.
In the restaurant, warm and elegant materials rub shoulders with a surprising and eclectic collection of often local objects: sculpted olivewood pots, ceramics from Vallauris and precious glass vessels from Biot. A homage is paid to the art and expertise of the region, and a multitude of subtle mind games and fertile surprises are on offer for visitors to discover. The delicate and poetic Mediterranean cuisine of Vincent Maillard upholds the homage paid to the region and to the quality of its produce. The Chef, who learned his craft from – amongst others – Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse and Francis Chaveau, endeavours to showcase local Mediterranean terroir and share the story of its talented local producers. He prepares his menus with respect for the seasons, in harmony with the environment.
At the Vista, an indoor and outdoor bar offers a list of cocktails and juices prepared by the hotel’s seasoned bar staff and mixologists.The Village restaurant, the hotel’s second eatery, designed as an elegant cabana adjoining the well-being centre, offers a principally vegetarian and vegan menu designed by chef Vincent Maillard in collaboration with a dietician and a naturopath. The seasonal, natural, healthy and beneficial cuisine is accompanied by a bar serving juices, kefirs, kombuchas, teas and infusions.In the elegant Village cabana, bathed in light thanks to the immaculate white wooden walls, the fifteen or so marble tables welcome hotel residents for a breath of fresh air and simplicity.
Team:
Design and Artistic Direction: Starck
Owner: Groupe WHM
Director: Stéphane Personeni
Chef: Vincent Maillard
Well-Being Village Manager: Diane Bernardin
Photographer: Tezenas
