St Tropez has long been on my travel bucket list, and our France road trip gave us the perfect excuse to head down to the south coast of the Cote d’Azur. As you would expect, it is home to permanent tans, mega yachts and designer shops that have been prolific in the old harbour town for decades. However, rather than it being wrapped in the new-ness you may find in neighbouring Monaco or Cannes, St Tropez still manages to balance temporary residents with permanent history. Cobbled, windy streets, coloured walls and cute window shutters line every path and, if you don’t just spend time staring at the superyachts, there is a lot of fun to be had here.
Our accommodation for the two-night stay in St Tropez was the Hotel De Paris St Tropez, a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts LVX Collection. Garnering all of the expertise and eye for design from its Parisian parents, the hotel sits proudly on one of the main roads into town. That being said, it’s not too busy; as you arrive there is definitely a buzz and atmosphere but, as you are whisked inside by the very friendly and helpful door staff, there is a sense of calm and tranquillity. Within minutes were in our new room; a Prestige Suite with a footprint double the size of our London flat (always my go-to comparative) with views overlooking the beautiful streets below. It was beautifully finished and had plenty of room for myself, Katie and Pepi. A definite highlight was the wraparound sofa and also the seemingly endless supply of Clarins amenities in the bathroom. For Pepi, it was her new toy which the staff had so lovingly gone and bought from the pet boutique next door.
The real draw of Hotel De Paris St Tropez is when you head to the roof. We spent a lot of time up here; from a morning dip to sipping Aperol Spritz through the afternoon and, when the sun started to set, listening to the live jazz player while we snacked on tapas. It’s definitely the biggest draw of the hotel and is the only place in town where you can watch the world below you. Speaking of below, breakfast each morning was served in the beautifully shaded courtyard; the usual suspects alongside some very sweet treats. Elsewhere, the lobby downstairs was grand and impressive, looking up to the rooftop swimming pool several floors above. Pepi was in her element here; the hotel is incredibly dog-friendly and she was allowed to walk on a lead in the lobby as well as lounge on the rooftop during the evenings. It felt more like a home more than a hotel.
Location-wise, Hotel De Paris St Tropez was a perfect place to explore the town. The famous Chanel boutique is right next door, so you can get those early-morning or late-evening photos in to avoid the crowds (you can, of course, also shop here if budget allows). The similarly impressive Dior Des Lices is just a five-minute walk away and is an excellent spot for lunch while you people watch along the St Tropez version of Bond Street. If you have more time to spare, then the very helpful concierge will be more than happy to arrange a transfer to and from Le Club 55; an absolute must-see and must-eat experience nestled within the treeline of nearby Pampelonne Beach. Made famous by the legendary Brigitte Bardot who frequented here in years gone by, it has a fantastic atmosphere and services lunch and cocktails from midday until 6pm.
By night, the hotel is very close to the beach and so you can go and gawk at the superyachts that inhabit the water’s edge. It was unashamedly fun to grab a gelato from the store and pick out our future vessel. Be sure to head around the harbour edge though and into the old town; there are some beautiful pebble beaches to be found in St Tropez and the mazy streets contain some real hidden gems. This is a town that certainly lives up to the hype.
You can book a room at the Hotel de Paris St Tropez here. If you are looking for a friendly, beautifully-presented and central hotel with the only rooftop bar and pool in town, you really can’t go wrong!
