Kim Haddou et Florent Dufourq, Hôtel Lilou, Hyères

Hôtel Lilou, Hyères
Behind its Haussmann-style façade, Lilou is a contemporary, cosmopolitan hotel, open to local residents, the city and travellers from all over the world. The owners have commissionned Kim Haddou and Florent Dufourq for the interior design, and Jean-Pierre Blanc for artistic curation.

A hôtel for today
This project instinctively led us to consult the archives of the former palaces in Hyères. The period that inspires us and awakens in us the fantasy of a nineteenth-century coastal resort in the early days of modern tourism.
We wanted to pay tribute to this legacy through a contemporary gesture in this city-centre hotel. We conceived it as an elegant villa, welcoming and sunny, where different eras and styles mingle, using a grid of geometric figures, framing and transparency to let in natural light.
On the ground floor, the original ballroom-sized space now has three functions. The traveller is welcomed into the lounge, with its iconic Gabriela Crespi rattan sofas and graphic 1980s vintage-style fireplace. Then they discover the bar, a central island made of high-gloss burr poplar with rounded corners. Finally, the restaurant area, defined by four columns and white sctrellised panels, is pierced by large windows. It is organised like small, intimate lounges with wide tobacco-coloured banquettes.
There are four types of room, so the guests can choose their favourite, just like in a family home: a design that revisits the classic mouldings, with oversized revisions; a modern winter garden atmosphere with trellises up to the ceiling; a natural spirit with straw-covered walls, and finally Moorish-inspired arches, a tribute to the architectural audacity of the early 1900s.
Large mirrors multiply the perspectives. On the floor, cork parquet warms the atmosphere. Shades of beige, cream and white let the sunlight shine in throughout the day. Poplar burr furniture and consoles add a touch of warmth and character.
The floor-to-ceiling tiled bathrooms feature 1930s-style ceramic washbasins. The louvered doors are reminiscent of the architecture of southern towns.