Tuba Club, Marseille, France
An Old Diving Club Reimagined as Marseille’s Most Effortless Seaside Escape
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A former diving club in Les Goudes has been transformed by Marion Mailaender into one of the Mediterranean’s most characterful boutique hotels.
● Just a handful of cabanon-style rooms and villa suites place guests directly above the sea, where architecture quietly disappears into the landscape.
● Honest seafood, saltwater swims, striped loungers, and a creative local community define a lifestyle that feels unmistakably Marseille.
Where Marseille Meets the Sea
At the far edge of Marseille, where the city gives way to the rocky calanques, Tuba Club occupies a place that feels wonderfully removed from urban life. The building once housed a diving club frequented by legendary free diver Jacques Mayol. Rather than erase that history, founders Grégory Gassa and Fabrice Denizot embraced it, transforming the old clubhouse into a relaxed retreat that still belongs entirely to the coastline. The sea is never a backdrop. It is the main character.
A Modern Cabanon
Architect Marion Mailaender looked to the simple fishermen’s cabins of Les Goudes and to Le Corbusier’s celebrated Cabanon for inspiration. Stone walls, weathered timber, marine plywood, sisal flooring, vintage lighting, and handmade details create interiors that feel almost improvised, yet every element has been carefully considered. Southway Studio contributes murals and playful interventions that reinforce the hotel’s artistic identity without disturbing its simplicity. Luxury is intentionally understated. The landscape does the rest.
Rooms Made for Summer
Accommodation remains wonderfully intimate. The original five cabanon-style rooms are joined by spacious villa suites, each overlooking the Mediterranean. Inside, marine-inspired materials, vintage furniture, diving books, shell-shaped lamps, and handcrafted details create spaces that feel closer to beach houses than hotel rooms. There are no unnecessary distractions. Even snorkels replace bathrobes. Here, the greatest luxury is stepping directly into the sea.
Life Between the Rocks
Days unfold at their own pace. Guests swim from the rocks, paddleboard across the bay, play pétanque, practise yoga, or simply spend hours beneath the striped yellow loungers facing the water. A steel ladder disappears into the Mediterranean, making spontaneous swims part of everyday life. Shoes become optional. Time becomes irrelevant.
A Table by the Water
The restaurant remains the social heart of Tuba Club. Chef Sylvain Roucayrol’s seasonal Mediterranean cooking celebrates local fish, Provençal produce, and Corsican influences through generous dishes designed for sharing. Signature Linguini Tuba, fresh seafood, and inventive cocktails are served only metres from the water, often to guests who arrive barefoot from an afternoon swim. The atmosphere is effortlessly communal. Visitors quickly become regulars.
Why It Works
Tuba Club succeeds because it refuses to separate hospitality from its surroundings. Marion Mailaender’s restrained architecture, the founders’ respect for the site’s diving heritage, and an uncomplicated way of living centred on the sea create an experience that feels authentic rather than curated. It is relaxed, creative, and unmistakably Mediterranean—a place where Marseille reveals its most beautiful side.
