This summer, head for Saint-Tropez. Despite what the naysayers may think, the Var city remains a myth – sunny, sexy, wildly glamorous. And its most beautiful hotels each cultivate, in their own way, the Tropezian art of living, between refinement, bohemian charm, and five-star service.
The most grandiose: Château de La Messardière
The mood: the palace of your dreams.
Perched on the heights, La Messardière ticks all the boxes of the exceptional palace: a panoramic view over the Pampelonne bay, a romantic castle to die for (gifted by cavalry officer Henry Brisson de la Messardière to his wife, the painter Louise Dupuy d’Angeac), and a five-hectare park filled with cypresses and umbrella pines, perfect for strutting in a long dress at sunset. An icon of the jet set of the roaring twenties, this jewel welcomed the crème de la crème of chic: from Picasso to Fitzgerald to Elizabeth II. Today, it’s the Airelles collection that breathes new life into it with 100 rooms and suites to die for, a private villa with pool, a Valmont spa, five restaurants, and two pools, including one with a real lap lane. And to get to the beach or port? A Rolls-Royce Cullinan drops you off, ever so casually. Welcome to Saint-Tropez!
From €1,012 per night.
The most feel good: Lily of the Valley
The mood: the stylish detox getaway.
Calling all burnt-out it-girls: no need to go to the end of the world to recharge. Head to Lily of the Valley, a boutique-hotel imagined by Philippe Starck in La Croix-Valmer, in the greenery of Cap Lardier. On the agenda: heated pools, gourmet restaurant with sea view, and ultra-stylish Mediterranean decor — arty cushions, natural thatch, elegant pottery. The 52 rooms and suites with terrace offer a hypnotic view of the sea or hills, in a chic and minimalist setting worthy of a Pinterest moodboard. The game changer: a 2,000 m² XXL spa where everything is designed to get you back on track: cryotherapy, radiofrequency, yoga facing the sea, aquabike... and programs focused on detox or well-aging.
From €560 per night.
The most bohemian: Villa Marie
The mood: a flowered cocoon in the hills.
Just ten minutes from the buzz of Place des Lices, on a hill overlooking the Route des Plages, Villa Marie rises in the heart of a fragrant pine forest. This charming address by Jocelyne and Jean-Louis Sibuet (La Bastide de Marie, Les Fermes de Marie) radiates a discreet glamour, halfway between bohemian chic and Mediterranean dolce vita. You’ll enjoy peaceful days hidden from view, between lush gardens and a celadon pool carved into the hillside. The 45 rooms and suites, with canopy beds and freestanding bathtubs, offer views of the Pampelonne bay or the forest. On the plate, enjoy Provençal cuisine at Dolce Vita, the restaurant nestled in a sunlit veranda. And to reach the port or tan chic at Pampelonne, lifts on request.
From €878 per night.
The most chill: Lou Pinet
The mood: Saint-Tropez B-side.
Looking for a Saint-Tropez without paparazzi or bling? Head to Lou Pinet, the hotel that plays the relaxed luxury card, 15 minutes from Place des Lices, well hidden in a calming green cocoon. Designed like a family home with gorgeous ethnic decor — think embroidered cushions and hanging lanterns — this five-star by Maisons Pariente (the same behind Le Coucou in Méribel) reinvents the old-school Saint-Trop’ vibe. Interior designer Charles Zana mixed blond wood, vintage ceramics, and arty patterns in the 34 rooms and 2 suites (from 50 to 80 m²) that breathe Mediterranean style and stylish naps. Don’t miss: the pool lined with jasmine and wild herbs, perfect for lounging between dips, and the Tata Harper spa, hidden in the garden.
The most legendary: Hôtel La Ponche
The mood: the cult address of old Saint-Trop.
Set in old fishermen's houses on a peninsula in the old town, literally twenty seconds from the eponymous beach, this intimate five-star has hosted the icons of 1950s Saint-Tropez: Bardot, Picasso, Boris Vian… Behind the modest facade, an elegant and timeless retreat, where rooms, though small, charm with their cozy atmosphere: wood paneling, aged furniture, marble bathrooms. On the walls, works by Jacques Cordier in India ink, watercolor, or oil, celebrate the light of the Mediterranean. The hotel also houses a confidential spa, and a terrace on the ground floor, perfect for savoring the calm in the heart of the village and watching the great regattas, the Giraglia Rolex or Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
It surely deserves its place in our selection of the most beautiful hotels in Saint-Tropez.
From €514 per night.
The most confidential: Villa Belrose
The mood: The ultra-hidden spot that overlooks Saint-Tropez.
Hidden in the hills of Gassin, Villa Belrose escapes the Tropezian hustle. A 9,000 m² estate floating between fragrant pine forest and azure bay. The setting? A Florentine bastide with classic charm, without flashiness or trends, by Althoff Hotels, a collection both discreet and formidably demanding. Rooms and suites feature marble, light wood, panoramic terraces, and breathtaking views. Demanding tribes go for one of the 16 private villas with custom palace-level service. At the table, chef Jimmy Coutel delivers a Mediterranean-inspired score, while a fitness room, two pools (including a 200 m² basin, one of the region’s largest), and a spa by Swiss brand NIANCE® complete the flawless experience.
From €661 per night
