Color- and pattern extravaganza at unique full-service hotel in Arles, Provence

L’Arlatan / Arles / Provence / France

It is easy to fall in love with the city of Arles where small winding streets meander passed yellow and cream colored houses with green-blue shutters, blossoming bougainvillea pouring over the walls and the famous Provence light that have attracted artists through the ages. And if falling for Arles is easy, let me tell you that it is even easier to fall for L’Arlatan.

This hotel is one of those where the outside doesn’t match the inside. The exterior is discreet, like it is providing a kind of camouflage for what is waiting on the inside which is the complete opposite to discrete. We are talking a pure festival of colors, patterns, shapes and forms. A challenge, albeit a really lovely one, for the senses to be able to take it all in.

The hotel opened in 2019 and took 4 years to complete and when you walk around in the endless halls it is easy to see why. The hotel is spread over 4 separate but adjoining buildings, built around two courtyards. The mastermind behind the design is Cuban artist Jorge Pardo who has designed the tiles, the art work, the lamps - the lot. The result is a look where contemporary art and design is mixed with classic vintage furniture. Actually, every door at L’Arlatan is a unique piece of art. And coming back to the tiles, in total there is a whopping 6000 square meters of mosaic consisting of almost 2 million tiles, all laid by hand. The result is a true statement piece and I found myself walking around trying to decide what my favorite color combo and pattern was, but I couldn’t make my mind up.

There are 40 rooms in total and endless space to lounge in. There is a bar, busy not only with visitors like me but where locals swing by for an aperitif or night cap and the same goes for the restaurant. You’ll find the best looking hotel gym I have ever seen and in one of the courtyards, surrounded by greenery and a tall wall of roses, there is a pool tiled with the same kind of mosaic as inside the hotel.

Our room was just like the rest of the hotel, spacious, with a separate lounge and sleeping area. The signature tiles made for a great contrast to the old sandstone walls and the cross vaulted ceiling. The room was furnished with bespoke pieces and the signature L’Arlatan lamps. My favorite part of the room was the bathroom, with the tiles - of course! Such a joy to wake up to this bathroom looking at yourself in the mirror with a halo of colors.

L’Arlatan is one of those hotels where you don’t want to leave the premises once you have checked in. There is simply too much to explore and enjoy that every minute spent away, made me regret leaving and longing to go back ”home”.

Welcome to L’Arlatan! You enter the hotel (at least from we had parked), through the bar. Not a bad welcome!

The hotel is spread over four different connected buildings, so to find the way to the room is something of a challenge. But the way there is breathtakingly beautiful. Like this grand staircase.

Bespoke lamps filling the atrium with light.

And the tiles. Everywhere you look there are different shapes and colored tiles. Like being inside a kaleidoscope.

We finally got to our room after walking through one stunning hall after the other.

Patterns and colors in abundance. This is the sofa in our room.

I don’t think I have ever seen a more appealing bathroom. All of a sudden ours at home seems so lackluster and generic.

Locally produced bathroom products from *vegetalement*.

The hotel is built around two courtyards. One where you can sit and have a drink and the other where you’ll find the pool and garden.

The second courtyard, which is located next to the reception.

Next to the pool there is a tall fall laden with roses.

There are several lounges in different corners of the hotel. All filled with a mix of contemporary and vintage furniture, surrounded by art and framed by the statement multi-colored tiles.

I love hotels that have fresh flowers on display.

This must be the best looking hotel gym ever. Almost looks like an art installation. Almost feels wrong to break a sweat in a place like this.

Even the pilates balls look like art work.

Evening is setting over Arles and the hotel.

Interesting how difficult it is to take photos of food. To me it is almost only the desserts that come out ok. This is a *brioche perdue* with grilled pineapple and whipped cream. Yum!

Breakfast at the hotel. Very French and very delicious.

If you are in Arles I can recommend to swing by Aix-en-Provence which is a short drive away.

This is lunch at *Le Verdun* on *Place de Verdun*. A classic Croque Madame in the sun with a glass of rosé in the company of great friends. It doesn’t get much better than that.

RG inside info

This place is perfect if you…

…love color. And art. And great hotels. This is one of those hotels that is impossible to make justice with words, at least I can’t find enough superlatives to describe this unique hotel. Just trust me when I say it is amazing and I can’t see anyone not falling head over heels in love with L’Arlatan.

My favorite thing about this place…

…is the excitement I felt when staying here. Everywhere I turned there was something new to discover; a cozy lounge hidden behind ancient walls, a never before seen color combo in the floor tiles, a beautiful painting or a bespoke plastic chandelier. It was such a joy to walk around the hotel stopping every two meters to take in all the beauty. Being Scandinavian and used to the discreet Scandi-chic style I was almost drunk from the insanely rich use of colors, patterns, shapes and forms.

What not to miss when staying here…

…is to stay inside. I know it might sound a bit sad considering how amazing Arles is, but this is one of those hotels where you, as soon as you walk outside, can’t wait to return back and hang out in this masterpiece of a hotel.

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