Visit in pictures of the Lilou hotel in Hyères
Through the resurrection of an iconic hotel built at the end of the 19th century, Hyères is finally getting up to date. A 4-star Mediterranean hotel, irresistible in its sophistication and elegance, where you can stay discreetly. We tested it.
Lilou
Category :
4 stars
France, Hyeres
7 Bd Pasteur, 83400 Hyères, France
Prix :
from 195 € / night – double room basis
The Figaro’s opinion
9/10
For a long time, Hyères’ hotel scene was stuck in a mothballed present – despite the dynamism of a cultural offering embodied by the famous Villa Noailles – it is now possible to find an address in tune with the times. A boutique hotel with the allure of a timeless Mediterranean villa, mixing an infinite number of styles ranging from Palladianism to Moorish and the Roaring Twenties, revealing a soft and sophisticated atmosphere, and arousing the desire to move from the rank of simple customer to that of regular.
The situation
8/10
Right in the centre, facing Cours Maintenon, the aptly named Hôtel des Étrangers once welcomed the European elite, quickly becoming one of the preferred stopping points of a destination that had become an illustrious winter resort. Located about fifteen minutes from Villa Noailles and the narrow streets of the old town, the place nevertheless remains a haven of discretion, whose true charm only comes into play when you pass through its gates.
Lilou7, boulevard Pasteur, 83400 Hyères. Tel.: 04 43 86 04 50.
The decoration
9/10
Taken over by David Pirone, “creator of living spaces” from Toulon – to whom we also owe the coup de polish given to the La Reine Jeanne hotel – Lilou was designed from the ground up by the Haddou Dufourcq studio, a duo of architects who graduated from the Camondo school and won the Grand Prix Design Parade Toulon organized by the Villa Noailles in 2018. In the lounge-bar on the ground floor, we discover a superposition of styles, frames and lighting effects: cream and fawn tones, nods to the exoticism of the Roaring Twenties, a vintage fireplace from the 1980s, terrazzo on the floor, rattan sofas – nothing less than reissues by the iconic Italian designer Gabriela Crespi –, a long palace counter placed in the center, and above all a sumptuous patio with the appearance of a lush winter garden where you can spend the summer.
STEPHANIE DAVILMA
The rooms
8/10
In total, 37 rooms of various sizes, spread over four floors, each cultivating in their own way a hushed and intimate atmosphere, even slightly subversive: beige walls, brown curtains, soft cork parquet floors, oversized pastel moldings, mirror effects, poplar burl furniture, bedding that will make you feel like you’re sleeping in the belly of a crème caramel… Note the presence of a small desk where you can write your diary, and bathrooms hiding behind shutters a frankly hypnotizing anthology of geometric patterns – no doubt to occupy those who, not having a literary streak, might be offended by the absence of a television.
Visit in pictures of the Lilou hotel in Hyères
Service and facilities
8/10
Outside, the only sport tolerated will be to do a few lengths in a pretty white-tiled swimming corridor, overlooked by frescoes commissioned from the artist Jacques Merle. Insolently exposed throughout the afternoon, the pool is fortunately backed by a small shaded terrace. As for the service, the staff plays the card of eternal youth, and a relaxation that takes nothing away from the professionalism of the whole.
At the table and at the bar
9/10
Without a doubt one of the highlights of the hotel, which takes the form of an outdoor terrace surrounded by tall columns, directly inspired by Palladian pergolas. As a decor, a few white tables and large pearl gray benches, whose discretion highlights vegetation that looks like an English botanical garden, designed by landscape architect Damien Roger. In the kitchen, the owner’s decision was to rely on the arrival of chefs in residence, with a first lap orchestrated by Emmanuel Perrodin, who revisits the great classics of Provençal gastronomy against a backdrop of Gien porcelain. A detail of great importance, a Dantesque wine list for the region, lining up more than 200 references – sometimes with beautiful depths of vintages – from the four corners of the Mediterranean, from France to Lebanon, via Italy, Spain, Greece and Morocco.
STEPHANIE DAVILMA
Value for money
9/10
With standard rooms starting at €195 per night in low season, the establishment ranks among the best value for money on this Côte d’Azur line from Toulon to Saint-Tropez. If Hyères is today much more than a winter holiday resort, this is an excellent reason to go there with no other ambition than to stay in a room.
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