“A hotel is an establishment open to the public. Anyone can enter ”

Ten years after the controversial metamorphosis of the Hôtel-Dieu hospital into a luxury hotel of the Intercontinental group in Marseille, the establishment naturally sits like a jewel set in the alleys of the picturesque Panier district tumbling down to the Old Port.

Leslie Cherfils, general manager of the 5-star, was part of the project development team in 2006. With the mission, in particular, to "continue its successful integration into the local fabric", she deciphers for

the reasons for success .

Leslie Cherfils, general manager of 5-stars.

Press photo

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LE FIGARO.

- Do you remember the reluctance to transform the Hôtel-Dieu into a luxury hotel?

Leslie CHERFILS.

-

They were on both sides.

The seed of the word Marseille had to be spread within the Intercontinental group, where many had a biased vision of the city because of an unfair “Marseille bashing”.

And the Marseillais, who did not have 5-star hotel in their city, feared to see disembark rich foreign tourists who take it from them.

But how could they have left such an icon in such disrepair?

Critics wanted to turn it into a library, bookstore, or shrine.

We have convinced ourselves by getting involved in associations, clubs, institutions, humbly, we have shown that we are a player in the local economy.

70% of our staff come from Marseille.

Your customers are also from Marseille, if we are to believe the crowds on the hotel terrace before the pandemic ...

Yes.

And it's interesting to see, in relation to our 5-star luxury clientele, the importance of this primary vocation of hospitality.

A hotel is an establishment open to the public.

Anyone can enter.

And it is a pity that few dare to venture to the heart to visit.

In addition, this mission is rooted in the origins of the Hôtel-Dieu, which date back to 1166, when the Confrérie du Saint-Esprit founded one of its first houses in Marseille.

The convent was located here.

We keep some vestiges, I dream of having a historian archivist to create a walk in our house which conceals many places recalling this history.

Your festive evenings are very popular with Marseillais.

But because of the Covid-19, you reopened on February 13 without a bar or restaurant ...

This did not prevent the crowd.

Customers even came from L'Estaque!

The spa and pool are limited to eight people per hour.

People need to be taken care of.