LEADERSHIP PRIZE

Diane Saveuse

“I’ve always loved hosting”

Diane Saveuse has a degree in business administration and worked for 15 years in mass distribution for the American multinational Procter & Gamble. That is where she met the man with whom she shares her life, both in town and on stage. "One evening, my father-in-law told us that there was a hotel for sale in Bormes-Les-Mimosas… I’m instantly thinking to myself that armed with my leadership experience at P&G and a real need to host and share, taking over a hotel would be brilliant", asserts the entrepreneur. Diane started looking for an opportunity in the South of France—her husband originates from there—until she famously fell in love at first sight. "The Villa Cosy hotel and spa project in Saint-Tropez was initiated at the end of September 2014. The Deed of Sale was signed at the end of January 2015! this 40-year-old congratulates herself. "I wanted to deliver exceptional service, and I believe this is only possible in an establishment on a human scale. I have always been fond of luxury, not for the ostentatious side but the product quality and transmission of traditional skills.”

Bringing happiness, creating memories

Then, of course, the role of each half of this duo needed to be defined. “A good leader is a person capable of setting out medium- and long-term visions for their business, engaging their team, while ensuring short-term plans are perfectly executed," explains Diane. “In practice, Frederic takes care of development, and I look after all the operational aspects.” Recruitment, team management, responding to client requests… Diane is involved in all human relations-based activities to provide her guests with a unique experience. Forming a blended family with their three children, the couple is even tackling a complementary project: the Villa Eucléia, adjacent to the hotel, due to open its doors at the end of 2021. A new challenge energetically embraced during the health crisis. Diane concludes with a quote from Cocteau: "Tact in audacity is to know how far you can go without going too far.”

Hôtel & Spa Villa Cosy

Run by husband and wife team Diane and Frederic Saveuse, the hotel enjoys a privileged location in the centre of Saint-Tropez. A 5-minute walk from the Place des Lices and historic town centre, but sufficiently secluded to offer tranquillity during the summer festivities. Expanded over the years, the hotel now features 23 rooms, including 13 suites. Her credo is "to combine luxury and relaxation through discreet and personalised service in an uncluttered setting based on 50s and 60s interior design, with exteriors given over to wood and vegetation.” While the hotel normally offers 24-hour room service in season—until 9pm out of season—it currently provides in-room dining due to the health crisis. To complete the offering, a 450m2 villa overlooking the vineyards will soon be available, enabling guests to benefit from the hotel's services while enjoying the advantages of a private villa with a cinema, spa, and swimming pool.

Localisation : Saint-Tropez - Création : 2014 - Activité : Hôtel & Spa - Dirigeants : Diane & Frédéric Saveuse - Capital : 100 000 € - Collaborateurs : 5 (19 salariés en saison)