The Best Hotels in the Var

The Var has mastered the art of embracing its many different landscapes: it happily leaves the over-the-top theatrics of overcrowded Riviera resorts to its neighbors, choosing instead to cultivate a more discreet art of living. From the fragrant scrublands of Sainte-Baume and green Provence to the ochre-red calanques lining the Estérel, this department embodies a particular vision of luxury, shaped by golden light and the song of cicadas. Here is our selection of the 5 most beautiful Var retreats for an elegant escape.

Tuscan-inspired façades emerge beneath a forest of umbrella pines, cypresses and lavender, with the blue of the Mediterranean stretching across the horizon. Originally designed to accommodate drivers from the nearby Paul Ricard Circuit, this vast estate in the Var hinterland has gradually evolved into a sumptuous five-star hotel, and one of the finest luxury hotels in Provence. The 46 rooms and suites, all bathed in southern sunshine and opening onto a balcony or terrace, reinterpret Provençal elegance with a contemporary twist. Honey, lavender and grape tones mingle with distressed furniture, marble fountains and carefully balanced modern touches. While the Classic rooms (27 sqm) already offer generous proportions, the property takes exclusivity to another level with the spectacular 150 sqm Exception Suite, a true sanctuary featuring hydrotherapy facilities and private access to the spa and fitness area.

Between the vineyards of Bandol and the calanques of Cassis, the estate stands as a destination in its own right for lovers of the good life. Days unfold around swims in the vast outdoor pool, games on the tennis court beneath the pines and rounds on the property's undulating six-hole golf course. At dusk, subtle lighting highlights the beauty of the gardens as guests gather around the water features beneath the gazebos for a signature cocktail. Wellness takes on an almost sacred dimension in the light-filled 700 sqm spa. A multiple winner at the Luxe Global Awards, the spa impresses with its highly sophisticated facilities: an indoor pool framed by floor-to-ceiling windows, a Kneipp circuit alternating hot and cold currents, a salt cave and tailor-made holistic treatments by Sym Biologic System.

Culinary excellence further cements the property's international reputation. At the helm of La Table du Castellet, chef Fabien Ferré pulled off a remarkable feat by earning three Michelin stars outright at just 35 years old. His cuisine, a true ode to the sea and the Provençal terroir, unfolds through vibrant signature menus. The experience reaches its peak at cheese time, when guests are invited into a dedicated cellar housing an impressive selection of around fifty varieties. For a more relaxed atmosphere, the San Felice bistro serves delicious bistronomy centered around open-fire cooking, best enjoyed on the terrace overlooking the Var countryside.

We love: the bucolic escape in the gazebos at sunset, the immersive experience of visiting the cheese cellar with the sommelier, and the invigorating Kneipp circuit after a round of golf.

Hôtel & Spa du Castellet – 3001, Route des Hauts du Camp, 83330 Le Castellet. From €260 per night.

There is a distinctly Italian Dolce Vita feel here, the exact opposite of the yacht-fuelled frenzy taking place down in the port of Saint-Tropez. When the Sibuet family settled on these three hectares of pine forest in Ramatuelle in 2003, they opted for understated hedonism and bohemian-chic style. The décor immediately sets the tone: shell frescoes, colorful tiles, 18th-century furniture sourced from across the Alps, and vibrant shades of peony and mandarin. Every room has its own personality. The Classic rooms (26 sqm) open onto a shaded patio with a freestanding retro bathtub, while the Colombier category occupies the turret in a loft-like setting with a separate sitting room. For families traveling together, the 40 sqm Family Junior Suites are arranged around an adjoining children's bedroom. Among the sea-facing signature suites, the décor steps up another notch: Pampelonne pays tribute to the 1950s with rosewood and fuchsia-pink Missoni prints, Canoubiers opts for a refreshing black-and-white tiled floor, while the Cap Camarat suite embraces a softer, more intimate palette.

Days here take on the feel of an Italian holiday resort. In the morning, the breakfast buffet spreads out across the terrace, combining pastries, waffles, fresh juices and gluten-free options. Afternoons revolve around the heated pool carved directly into the rock, a true lagoon surrounded by lush vegetation where lingering over a cocktail is highly encouraged. Rather than a sprawling spa, the hotel favors the discreet charm of a treatment pavilion dedicated to Pure Altitude rituals. Treatments include Néroli balm rituals, hot-shell massages, Kobido and Gua Sha, perfectly complemented by the nearby gym, which swaps dark plastic equipment for sustainably designed wooden machines: a non-motorized Sprintbok treadmill, WaterRower rowing machines and a Nohrd bike. At sunset, before hopping on the shuttle to Place des Lices, the restaurant serves refined regional cuisine: Nice zucchini salad, pissaladière, vegetable tian with fresh sea bream, followed by the signature lemon soufflé or peaches poached in rosé from the Domaine de Marie in the Luberon.

We love: the rock-carved lagoon pool, the breakfast sweet-treats corner and the signature hot-shell ritual.

Hôtel Villa Marie Saint Tropez – 1100, Chemin de Val de Rian, 83350 Ramatuelle. From €560 per night.

Perched on the Estérel coastal road, facing the shimmering waters around Île d'Or, this modernist retreat from the Beaumier collection has undergone a spectacular transformation under the direction of architecture studio ASL (Antoine Ricardou and Clémentine Larroumet). Staying true to the Riviera spirit of the 1950s, the designers revived an adjacent building to add 25 rooms to the property, pushing Brutalist minimalism to its most striking limits. The raw-concrete shell creates an illusion of simplicity, allowing the marine landscape to flow into the interiors in a constant dialogue with works by Man Ray, Le Cabanon by Le Corbusier and Villa E-1027 by Eileen Gray. The expansion also brings redesigned Mediterranean gardens and intimate terraces carved directly into the rocks. The ultimate expression of this transformation, the magnificent Riviera Suite feels like a private 135 sqm apartment on the rooftops, extended by 125 sqm of panoramic terraces. Crossed by a curved concrete wall reminiscent of a Richard Serra sculpture, this suspended retreat erases the boundaries between indoors and out with retractable windows, handcrafted terracotta, a private pool and an open-air shower.

The experience still revolves around its two iconic pools: a lap pool and a natural seawater pool carved directly into the rock, now complemented by even easier access to the Mediterranean. On the culinary front, the hotel has made a bold move by handing over its kitchens to Michelin-starred chef Alexandre Baule (already at the helm of La Table de L'Alpaga in Megève). Bringing his love of vegetables and seasonal produce to the French Riviera, the chef creates an exceptionally light, sea-inspired Provençal menu, drawing on produce from inland farmers, sun-soaked herbs, local meats and the day's catch.

We love: the bold architectural statement of the Riviera Suite, diving straight into the sea from the rocks, and Alexandre Baule's vegetable-led, sea-inspired cuisine.

Les Roches Rouges – 90, Bd de la 36ème division du Texas, 83700 Saint-Raphaël. From €682 per night.

Perched on the hillside of Cap Lardier, in La Croix-Valmer, this five-star sanctuary, opened in 2019, overlooks six kilometers of unspoiled beaches facing the protected Gigaro site. Designed by Philippe Starck, the property, part of the Leading Hotels of the World collection, is laid out like a shapeshifting village of raw concrete and organic materials that blends discreetly into the pine forest and eucalyptus trees, far from the flashy parade of the Saint-Tropez coastline. Inside, the design favors warm, understated luxury: exotic woods, raffia lighting, artisanal pottery and Portuguese marble, whose veining continues seamlessly across the floors and ceilings of the bathrooms. The hotel has 38 rooms and 6 suites overlooking the Mediterranean, complemented further down the coast by eight private Pool Suites, each with its own garden and checkerboard pool. The beating heart of the property, the Shape Club offers 2,000 sqm entirely dedicated to holistic health, longevity and detox. Alongside its heated 25-meter semi-Olympic pool, gym and snow shower, the space offers expert protocols based on nutritionist Jacques Fricker's method, as well as innovative treatments such as radiofrequency drainage massage.

On the culinary side, chef Vincent Maillard orchestrates healthy, locally sourced cuisine that manages the impressive feat of combining indulgence with lightness. The offering ranges from Mediterranean dishes at Vista, to Italian plates at Brigantine, and the laid-back atmosphere of the Pépé beach club, right on the sand.

We love: the feeling of total immersion in nature, the demanding detox programme at the Shape Club, Vista's checkerboard pool and the absolute peace and quiet of the hillside, particularly appealing in the off-season.

Lily of the Valley – Colline Saint Michel, Boulevard Abel Faivre, Quartier de Gigaro, 83420 La Croix-Valmer. From €610 per night.

The arrival immediately sets the tone: it takes more than ten minutes along a winding road through a protected 500-hectare estate before this sublime 18th-century residence with Tuscan influences finally comes into view, renovated by the Lafourcade firm. Designed as an authentic Provençal hamlet organized around its village square and traditional fountain, this five-star hotel comprises 34 rooms and two private villas surrounded by vineyards, olive trees and Mediterranean scrubland. Interior designer Nathalie Vingot Mei has created an exceptionally soft country-chic aesthetic, combining original terracotta tiles with warm color palettes. The ultimate family option, the Saint-Rémy de Provence Suite is a three-level family retreat with a 70 sqm master area, a children's bedroom upstairs and a Saint-Tropez-style rooftop terrace offering 360-degree views across the estate.

When it comes to wellness, the six-treatment-room spa combines Cinq Mondes rituals with Vinésime wine therapy, even offering an exclusive scrub made from Grenache Noir grape pomace harvested on the estate. The certified organic vineyard produces AOP Côtes de Provence wines overseen by oenologist Alexis Cornu, which can be discovered during tasting workshops or at the property's various restaurants. Chef Louis Rameau oversees three complementary dining options: the refined, committed vegetable-led cuisine of Jardin de Berne (one Michelin star), the convivial La Terrasse de Berne, serving generous spit-roasted meats, and the traditional Bistrot. Between mountain-bike rides along the estate's trails and a few laps in the large L-shaped pool lined with palm trees, adults can head down to a peaceful restanque to enjoy a second pool reserved exclusively for them.

We love: the theatrical drive through the estate before reaching the château, and the adults-only pool tucked away overlooking the olive trees.

Château de Berne – Chemin des Imberts, 83780 Flayosc. From €603 per night.

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