For Lux Collective’s maiden property under its new Salt brand in Palmar, the design of the riad-style property had to reflect the soulful island nation of Mauritius (a pillar of the company is giving back to the community) while also attracting a youthful demographic. London-based French designer Camille Walala and art director Julia Jomaa were instantly enamored with the area’s vivid color palette: saturated pink sunsets, bright blue skies, and the island’s signature emerald green hue. As the first hotel for the longtime collaborators, they wanted to weave those lively shades into an interior that eschewed the traditional drab hotel interiors found on the island for an energetic concept that offers guests a chance to recharge in the idyllic setting.
To foster a sense of place, Jean François Adam of local firm JFA Architects updated the exterior, swathing the building in a peachy, burnt orange hue that emulates the homes there (he also reconfigured the pool to better connect to the beach). The immersive welcome room, meanwhile, is a space “where I could push my style a bit more,” Walala says. Color-blocking in primary hues mix with violet and blush tones united by black and white stripes, an ode to the Memphis Movement. “It’s a bit out there,” she admits, but “it has a ‘wow’ effect.” The restaurant is subdued in contrast. Peach walls, basket pendants made by local artisans, and slatted timber screens and ceilings evoke a casual ambiance. “The [hotel] is quite small, so we didn’t want to do too many different styles and patterns,” she says.
Walala’s distinct vision continues in the glass-fronted rooftop bar, the Salt Equilibrium spa, and the central courtyard, where the black and white pattern shows up in tiles that line a fountain and ascend the building for a 3D effect. To pull this design off, it required compromise and a lot of trust. There were times, she says, the owners worried it would be too much, “but I wanted to see how much I could push it.”
Concrete floors and white walls anchor the decadent design, while the 59 guestrooms are an exercise in restraint. Wrapped in white (minus a teal wood-slatted headboard and graphic pillows), all the beds face the water, allowing the landscape to take centerstage. “We want people to disconnect,” she says, adding that there are no TVs in the rooms. “I wanted to bring my style into the hotel with no restrictions, but still find the right balance.”
