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Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port
Marseille, France · Sofitel · Core Luxury
Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port opened on September 1, 1976, as a 222-room Sofitel-Jacques Borel hotel perched on the Pharo promontory above the harbor. Marseille's weak hotel market forced Accor to split the building with a neighboring Novotel in 1986, leaving today's 134-room five-star property with the same panorama over the Vieux Port, the Palais du Pharo and Notre-Dame de la Garde. A 2009-2015 renovation by architects Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet reworked the interiors around Marseille's yachting and maritime history, adding the rooftop bar Le Dantès Skylounge.
- 134 rooms
- Opened 1976
- Neighborhood: Pharo
- Rooms from 215 sq ft (20 m²)
- Architect: Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet
About Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port
- Restaurateur Jacques Borel, who built the original hotel, was the real-life inspiration for Tricatel, the villainous industrial-food mogul that Louis de Funès mocks in the 1976 comedy L'Aile ou la Cuisse.
- Marseille mayor Gaston Defferre inaugurated the hotel on September 1, 1976, when it opened with 222 four-star rooms under first director Jean-Louis Chadel.
- Several times a year the hotel hosts Sofitel Marseille Culture, literary dinners on the top floor pairing a meal from chef Sylvain Touati with an author interview and book-signing.
- The gastronomic restaurant Les Trois Forts, on the seventh floor, takes its name from the three forts visible from its 180-degree harbor view: Saint-Jean, Saint-Nicolas and the Pharo.
- Entry-level rooms start at 215 sq ft (20 m²).
History
The hotel opened on September 1, 1976, as the Sofitel-Jacques Borel, built by restaurateur Jacques Borel (the real-life inspiration for the villainous 'Tricatel' character Louis de Funès mocks in the film L'Aile ou la Cuisse) with 222 four-star rooms on the Pharo promontory; Marseille mayor Gaston Defferre inaugurated it alongside first hotel director Jean-Louis Chadel. Marseille's weak hotel market led Accor to split the building into a separate Novotel and Sofitel in 1986, and the Sofitel side has operated with 134 rooms since. It became a five-star property on January 1, 2009, when France introduced its current hotel star-classification system. A 2009-2015 renovation by architects Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet gave the hotel its yachting-inspired, marine-themed interiors, including the gastronomic restaurant Les Trois Forts and the rooftop Dantès Skylounge bar.
The setting
On the Pharo promontory above the Vieux Port, looking at the Palais du Pharo and Notre-Dame de la Garde. The harbour is the view; the 7th arrondissement is the postcode.
Restaurants and bars
- Les Trois Forts — Restaurant · Mediterranean · Chef Chef Touati (Sylvain Touati named in literary dinners text)
- Le Carré — Restaurant · Mediterranean
- Le Dantès Skylounge — Restaurant
Experiences
- Sofitel Marseille Culture literary dinners — Several times a year, literary dinners on the top floor combining gastronomy and culture: aperitif, dinner by Chef Sylvain Touati, an interview with a writer, and a book-signing session.
- Les Trois Forts tasting menu — Four-course tasting menu with seasonal Mediterranean cuisine at the panoramic restaurant Les Trois Forts, available for dinner daily.
- Alternative calanques tours — Responsible exploration of the calanques, offered as alternative tours arranged through the Concierge Desk.
- Sofitel Spa and Sofitel Fitness — Spa with relaxation pool, sauna, hammam, treatment rooms and fitness area; children aged 8+ welcome.
Amenities
- Spa
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Rooftop bar
- Pet-friendly
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