Award-winning interior designer rejuvenates LUX* Belle Mare, Mauritius
LUX* Island Resorts is delighted to collaborate with a multi-award winning designer, Kelly Hoppen MBE to revive and rejuvenate the interiors of the company’s flagship resort on the island of Mauritius, LUX* Belle Mare. In 2011, twelve LUX* villas and the honeymoon suites were redesigned by Kelly who created a design founded directly on her own experience of this luxurious beachside hotel. Hoppen has now moved on to the guest suites and public areas.
The design across the resort takes inspiration from the Island Light concept, which is the signature of all LUX* properties – a lighter, brighter interpretation of luxury. Kelly’s signature neutral palette of white, cream, taupe and beige layered with small punchy accents of bright zingy colors is present throughout, including turquoise, fuchsia, soft yellow, apple green, Chinese red, bright orange, and purple.
Fabrics – predominantly linens and kinds of cotton – complement other beach-inspired textures, such as water like lacquer surfaces, bleached wood trestle tables, and tongue-and-groove bathrooms. In-room collateral has been kept to a minimum, allowing Hoppen to place more emphasis on carefully chosen and sourced artwork and objects. Hoppen says her aim is to instill a feeling of sanctuary in the 174 suites and 12 villas: “I know what I want when I go to a hotel, and it is virtually nothing – but everything there has to be clean, simple and pleasurable to the touch. This is a beachside location, so the design had to reflect the same sort of minimalist luxury that Brigitte Bardot made famous in Saint Tropez in the 60s. In fact, the more I designed, the more I made it lighter and simpler – my aim was to create an uncluttered ambiance to help rebalance the body and soul”.
Kelly has taken this same philosophy throughout the public areas of LUX* Belle Mare too, most notably in the beachside restaurants and bar, which are again themed around white wood furniture, natural linens, and vibrant accent shades.
The beach restaurant, known as the Beach Rouge, has been completely transformed. Its new lounge area allows you to eat lunch whilst catching some rays or to enjoy a cocktail at nightfall. The new all-day menu offers cocktails, tapas and lovely dishes made with local and seasonal ingredients. The DJ booth will welcome big names from the music industry.
CEO of LUX* Island Resorts, Paul Jones, explains that; “the concept of Beach Rouge was born from the desire to create a place where people can share and get together for lunch, dinner or simply to drink a glass of wine by the sea. The Beach Rouge will also be the perfect framework for many memorable parties”.
For Kelly Hoppen, “the LUX* Belle Mare has been an important step in [her] career. Not only is Mauritius an extraordinary place with extraordinary people, working with Paul Jones and Piers Schmidt on this project has been very enriching. Every moment at the LUX* Belle Mare will arouse in you the same feeling that you get when you walk barefoot on a white-sand beach. It’s paradise!”
Paul Jones confides that “there are two essential ingredients to LUX* Belle Mare’s success. The beach, which is one of Mauritius’s most beautiful beaches, and the incredible team that is always devoted to our guests. Add Kelly Hoppen’s stunning designs and LUX* Belle Mare instantly becomes the perfect place to spend your holidays”.
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