Les Bords De Mer

The place

A white Art Deco building at the water's edge of Marseille, right in the city center. Inside, the palette stays crisp and pale, echoing the facade. Nineteen rooms and suites, dressed in natural wood and framed prints; some open onto a private balcony above the sea.

On the roof, a quiet pool looks out over the water toward the Frioul Islands. Below, a 300m2 spa holds a heated indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room, and treatments arranged to order.

The restaurant fills with light. Chef Chester Tsai cooks Southern France with a subtle pan-Asian inflection, from breakfast through dinner.