dior curates a pair of wellness cabins amidst gardens of taormina’s grand hotel timeo

le jardin des rêves: a ‘garden of dreams’ opens in taormina

Dior and Rome-based studio ThirtyOne Design + Management take to the gardens of Taormina to create a pair of tiny treehouse cabins — a wellness retreat at the Grand Hotel Timeo, a Belmond Hotel. Titled ‘Le Jardin des Rêves’ (The Garden of Dreams), the project has been completed in time for the hotel‘s 150th anniversary. From June to October 2023, guests are invited to indulge in exclusive skincare treatments by Dior amidst the verdant oasis overlooking the sea.

images © Pierre Mouton for Parfums Christian Dior

the legendary sicilian ‘grand hotel timeo’

Dior and ThirtyOne Design + Management perch the wellness cabins within the lush, six-acre gardens of Taormina’s Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo. The 150 year-old hotel was originally designed by Florence Trevelyan, a renowned English gardener and wildlife conservationist in the late 19th century, have long been a source of serenity and artistic inspiration. During the years since, numerous artists and writers sought solace and creative energy within these gardens. Today, the collaboration between Grand Hotel Timeo and Dior Spa continues this tradition, inviting guests to experience a moment of well-being within the hotel’s lush enclave.

verdant wellness spaces by dior

The Dior treehouse treatment cabins, accessible via a wooden staircase, offer guests a captivating escape amidst the majestic cypress trees. Two exquisitely designed cabins, one double and one single, stand gracefully among the branches. Adorned with the iconic Dior toile de jouy curtains in a matching vibrant green shade, these wooden structures blend harmoniously with their natural surroundings.

Drawing inspiration from the lush flora and fauna enveloping the pop-up spa, Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Creative Director of Dior, has reimagined the Dior fabric to adorn the cabins. The distinctive leaf-green motif creates an intimate and refined atmosphere, complemented by bamboo seating and modern design lamps finished with brushed brass. Each cabin, meticulously crafted by ThirtyOne Design + Management, features its own individual terrace with sweeping sea views. Here, guests can enjoy moments of privacy and serenity, with rattan furniture, parasols matching the cabin’s fabric, and carefully placed potted plants.

The team at Dior describes the wellness treatments available at its Grand Hotel Timeo cabins: ‘The menu of signature face and body treatments draws on the skills and expertise of Dior skincare, created to help the skin and senses blossom during the summer. The signature Dolce Vita solar glow face and body one-hour treatment ensures a perfectly enhanced and extended sun tan. Depending on the time of the treatment, it concludes with either a head-to-toe application of protective sun cream, lotion or oil before sun exposure, or with a soothing after-sun balm or shimmering oil, at the end of the day.

‘Beauty-enhancing treatments, all characterised by the iconic Dior techniques that combine the best of traditional Eastern and Western methods with powerful, targeted movements, include: Dior Prestige Haute Précision, a major holistic face treatment using the Dior prestige line and combining the regenerative power of the Granville Rose with enveloping massage techniques to blend pleasure with visible correction of the signs of age; and Constellation, a deeply relaxing holistic body massage , for perfect harmony between body and mind.’

relaxing terraces are immersed in lush gardens inside the cabins, guests at Belmond’s Grand Hotel Timeo can receive a range of Dior skincare treatments

project info:

project title: Le Jardin des Rêves

architecture: ThirtyOne Design + Management | @thirtyonedesign

interiors, wellness treatments: Dior | @dior

location: Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo | @belmondgrandhoteltimeo, Taormina, Sicily, Italy

completion: June 2023

photography: © Pierre Mouton for Parfums Christian Dior