The new Art Deco hotel Les Bords de Mer houses the first spa in its region to propose REN Skincare treatments, a brand that is an activist for natural bioactives.
Opened in March 2019 in Marseille, France, the spa consists of wellness rooms for skincare treatments and massages, a sauna, a hammam and a heated indoor swimming pool. The spa area is mostly made from white stone which contributes to the sense of peace and well-being of those who enter to receive Balinese massages and organic Ren Skincare treatments.
As a renovation project, the architecture team maintained several elements of the style of the existing structure; however, they decided to drill into the rock below in order to obtain additional space—this is where they created the spa area. Using the white stone already found underneath the structure enhances the organic interests of the spa.
“The spa area is mostly made from white stone which contributes to the sense of peace and well-being.”
Whether intentional or not, integrating stone into the majority of the spa’s makeup generates what is known as lithotherapy: a soft, unconventional medicine that seeks to heal through stones, minerals and crystals. This type of therapy depends on precious or semi-precious stones that have the necessary qualities to improve the well-being of those who come into contact with it.
“Integrating stone into the majority of the spa’s makeup generates what is known as lithotherapy: a soft, unconventional medicine that seeks to heal through stones, minerals and crystals.”
Lithotherapy dates back to the Atlanteans and the Egyptians, to name a few, and has been considered the science of the mineral realm, still in use today. Les Bords de Mer achieved a very modern integration of lithotherapy in its spa—to test, to enjoy, to appreciate.
