It’s not as if you need an excuse to visit the South of France. Sipping sundowners at the glamorous beach clubs that pepper the sandy shores and cliffside hideouts along the French Riviera really shouldn’t take much convincing, but with so many charming seaside cities and villages to explore, deciding where to stay can be a challenge. Whether you want to revive the nostalgic glory of the golden age of Saint-Tropez, hit the markets in central spots like Nice and Antibes, or hike the Calanques in Marseille and Cassis, there are a plethora of options to choose from.
Read more: The Best Hotels In Paris
Vogue’s guide to the best coastal stays in the South of France
- Nice: Hôtel Du Couvent
- Théoule-sur-Mer: Château De Théoule
- Saint-Tropez: Hôtel Lou Pinet
- La Croix-Valmer: Hôtel Lily Of The Valley
- Marseille: Hôtel Les Roches Blanches
- Antibes: Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel
While there’s no shortage of glamorous five-star accommodation on the Côte d’Azur, there’s something fresh in the air here, as this pristine strip of Mediterranean coastline – which had become saturated with an abundance of prohibitively expensive luxury hotels – is now a beacon for cute boutique stays, attracting that familiar creative revelry that defined the French Riviera in the 1960s and 1970s. From the classic, high-end resorts that are actually worth the premium rates to affordable boutique stays and refurbished mansions-turned-design hotels, below are the best coastal stays in the South of France this summer.
Hôtel du Couvent, Nice
Set to open this June, following a 10-year renovation, three buildings of a former convent nestled in the heart of the old town have been lovingly restored four centuries later to form the 88-room Hôtel du Couvent. The hotel’s fragrant garden – perfumed with olive, lemon and apricot trees – extends over 2.5 acres, and this haven of calm continues down to the hotel’s thermal bath circuit (a tribute to the Roman baths in nearby Cimiez), where guests can plunge into the three successive baths (temperate, hot and cold, setting them up for the day. Alternatively, they can wind down with a drink beside the garden lap pool or in the Guinguette café.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, spa
Insider tip: On Saturday mornings, the hotel will open its courtyard to a market, where guests and the public can buy local produce.
Address: 1 Rue Honoré Ugo, 06300 Nice
Château de Théoule, Théoule-sur-Mer
The historic Château de Théoule, once a soap factory and then a private mansion, has been beautifully restored and turned into a 44-room boutique hotel featuring a private beach, two bars, a spa, pool and two restaurants. Having preserved the original woodwork of the castle, while punctuating its interiors with carefully selected antiques and velvet upholstery, the property maintains an art deco allure, seamlessly blended with modern comforts. From every vantage point on the property, guests benefit from sweeping views of the Bay of Cannes – stunningly contrasted against the Massif de l’Estérel, the rugged red mountain range that surrounds the property, making it a haven for hikers and nature enthusiasts.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, private beach, spa
Insider tip: You won’t have to find your way to a nearby harbour to hail a boat for a day on the water – the property has its own private slipway.
Address: 55 Avenue de Lérins, 06590 Théoule-sur-Mer
Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d'Antibes, Antibes
The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has been the pole star for luxury hotels on the French Riviera since it opened in 1870. In 1936, it became the inspiration for F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Hôtel des Étrangers in Tender Is the Night, where he wrote: “On the pleasant shore of the French Riviera, about half way between Marseilles and the Italian border, stands a large, proud, rose-coloured hotel.” The author described it as being the summer resort of notable and fashionable people – a reputation it has held on to, not just with its star-studded roster of visitors but through tantalising details that can be found in every part of the property, such as the restaurant’s menus designed by Picasso in 1955 following his very simple request for paper, ink and a quiet table to sit and work.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, pool, spa, fitness centre, beauty salon, kids’ club, sea access
Insider tip: Book a treatment at the new Dior Spa Eden-Roc, just opened last season.
Address: 167-165 Boulevard J. F. Kennedy, 06160 Antibes
Pan Deï Palais, Saint-Tropez
Originally built by General Jean-François Allard in 1835, as a gift to his beloved, the Indian princess Bannu Pan Deï (it became their family home, where they raised their five children), Pan Deï Palais, situated in the heart of the village of Saint-Tropez, is now a 12-room luxury boutique hotel, with a romantic spirit and warm atmosphere. As in all Airelles properties, rooms are elegant and understated, and each has direct access to the blue-tiled mosaic pool set in a fragrant garden shaded by palm and olive trees. Mini Mokes and the property’s signature Rolls-Royce are available to shuttle guests to the hotel’s private beach club, Jardin Tropézina, situated on the famous Pampelonne Beach.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, pool, private beach, shuttle beach service, spa, fitness centre, kids’ club
Insider’s tip: Ask the chef to prepare you a picnic to enjoy in the gardens.
Address: 52 Rue Gambetta, 83990 Saint-Tropez
Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel, Antibes
Opened last summer, halfway between Cannes and Nice, the 35-room Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel is the buzziest newcomer in town, making its presence known with its bubblegum-pink sun loungers lining its private beach club and retro Palm Springs-inspired interiors subtly popping up on our Instagram feeds. Guests have access to the lively Baba, the hotel’s beachside restaurant, in addition to the Rotunda bar located on a balcony overlooking the sea. If that wasn’t enough, the hotel is also host to Les Pêcheurs, the Michelin-starred fine-dining seafood restaurant helmed by Nice native, chef Nicolas Rondelli. While there’s no spa on site, there are two wellness cabanas where guests can book facials or massages on request and yoga classes are held in the hotel’s private garden or on the rooftop terrace.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, pool, treatment cabanas, private beach, roof terrace
Insider tip: Two paddle boats are available at the beach and free for guests to use at their leisure.
Address: 10 Boulevard Maréchal Juin, 06160 Antibes
Hôtel Amour Nice, Nice
Fans of Amour Hôtels’ Paris addresses, Hôtel Amour and Grand Amour, can expect the same laidback sensibility at the brand’s seaside destination in Nice. The latest opening from this cult-favourite hotel group, it offers a welcome contrast to what can be a traditionally pretentious stretch of the Riviera. The comfortable atmosphere is articulated through the hotel’s 38 rooms and fans of the Amour group will recognise familiar details such as the well-appointed bookshelves and eclectic artwork. Guests also have access to a shaded patio restaurant (popular among locals and hotel residents alike) and a panoramic rooftop with a swimming pool. Located just five minutes from the property, the hotel’s beach club is open in both summer and winter.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, rooftop pool, beach club
Insider tip: The hotel is conveniently located less than a block from the railway station, making nearly everything in town within walking distance.
Address: 3 Avenue des Fleurs, 06000 Nice
Château de la Messardière, Saint-Tropez
Built within a 19th-century chateau in the hillside of Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière overlooks the pristine Saint-Tropez Bay, Ramatuelle vineyards and the glitzy beach of Pampelonne; as a guest there, you’ll have everything you need at your fingertips. Sporty types will be satisfied with the variety of activities on offer – from tennis to pétanque to Pilates or yoga to boxing with a boxing champion – while those looking to relax can hide away in the luxurious Valmont spa or settle down with a drink by one of the property’s two pools. Although there are plenty of restaurants on site, the hotel’s free shuttle service is available for transfers to its private beach or grab an electric bike or Mini Moke and cruise down under your own steam.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, pools, spa, private beach, hair salon, tennis court
Insider tip: While parents relax, children can enjoy themselves at Airelles Summer Camp – basically their very own luxury resort, where they’re encouraged to come and go as they please.
Address: 2 Route de Tahiti, 83990 Saint-Tropez
Tuba Club, Marseille
Suspended over a rocky cliff at Les Goudes, an area of Marseille renowned for its fishing port, Tuba sits in a 100-year-old property that, in hte 1980s, was a diving school frequented by the legendary French diver Jacques Mayol and his friends. Today, the small cliffside hotel is Marseille’s coolest hangout: it features five eclectic rooms designed by Marseille-born architect and interior designer Marion Mailaender in the spirit of the French cabanon, or fishing shed; a restaurant; and various terraces scattered throughout the property. This summer, Tuba will be unveiling a new rooftop terrace above the rocks and a restaurant, Bikini’s, where you’ll find a bar made from a converted old boat hull with a counter created by The Ateliers Laissez Passer, known for their work repurposing waste and materials from the port of Marseille.
Amenities: restaurant, bar, sea access
Insider tip: To enjoy the Calanques, take a Tuba picnic basket with you. It includes a bottle of wine, anchovy dip, a pan bagnat, some snacks and a fluorescent snorkel.
Address: 2 Boulevard Alexandre Delabre, 13008 Marseille
Hôtel Les Roches Blanches, Cassis
Cassis is a lesser-known port city near Marseille, beloved by locals for its pebbly beaches and charming string of cafés and restaurants lining the vibrant port and picturesque old town. Framed by the wild calanques it shares with neighbouring Marseille, the historic Hôtel Les Roches Blanches sits proudly in an old mansion on the limestone cliffs, with a pool deck and solarium that descends directly to the sea. Its glamorous art deco past (it opened as a hotel in the 1920s – Winston Churchill and Edith Piaf were notable guests) informs the architecture, while its modern interiors (it was renovated in 2018) create a comfortable and luxurious ambiance.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, pool deck, sea access, spa, fitness centre
Insider tip: If you’re heading into the old town, ask the concierge for the free buggy service that shuttles guests to and from the town centre.
Address: 9 Avenue des Calanques, 13260 Cassis
Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, Cap-Ferrat
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Arrive at the hotel’s iconic Club Dauphin pool and the scene feels as though it’s been plucked straight from a Slim Aarons photograph. Having survived many years of renovations and refurbishments by various owners, the hotel has still managed to preserve the very essence that made it a Côte d’Azur landmark in its heyday, especially under the watchful eye of Four Seasons, which has presided over the property since 2015 and brought with it its exceptional service. While the hotel does not have direct beach access, guests can take the various stairs and pathways or a private glass funicular ride down to Paloma Beach, which is located nearby.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, pool, spa, fitness centre
Insider tip: For extra privacy and butler service, book the hotel’s newly renovated, historic villas Villa Beauchamp or Villa Clair Soleil, designed by the acclaimed architect Sybille de Margerie.
Address: 71 Boulevard du Général de Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Hôtel Lou Pinet, Saint-Tropez
Hôtel Lou Pinet, in the heart of St-Tropez, is a dream carried out by the family behind Crillon le Brave and Le Coucou Méribel, and it’s exactly that: a family hotel. The owners’ ancestral roots and ties to the area come across everywhere in this five-star boutique hotel, making it feel like a (very special) home. With just 34 rooms and suites surrounding the fragrant garden’s swimming pool (the largest in St-Tropez) and beloved Beefbar restaurant, guests might feel hard-pressed to leave the hotel at all. The property doesn’t have its own beach club, but for those that might want to trade the garden pool for the seaside, a free shuttle service to and from the Place des Lices and Tahiti beach runs daily, from 8.30am to 12pm.
Amenities: valet parking, spa, fitness centre, restaurant, bars, pool, beach shuttle service, pétanque court
Insider tip: As this is a family hotel – a chic one, of course – stuffed animals and Jacadi welcome products await your little ones upon arrival to your room, while bathtubs and changing mats are also available upon request.
Address: 70 Chemin du Pinet, 83990 Saint-Tropez
Hôtel le Sud, Antibes
The delightfully low-key Hôtel le Sud makes the perfect base for an affordable, no-frills seaside retreat on the French Riviera. Situated steps from the train station and in the heart of the lively Juan-les-Pins neighbourhood (known for its bustling seafront promenade and long stretch of sandy beaches), this tiny-but-packs-a-punch hotel exudes warmth across its 29 whimsical rooms designed by Stéphanie Lizée (all warm woods, scalloped edges and playful hand-painted wall doodles). The young and playful energy of the hotel extends into the public spaces, which include a bar and shaded backyard pool deck with a food truck, where guests can grab light bites throughout the day. While it lacks the bells and whistles of the nearby luxury hotels that line the Riviera (it’s self check-in, for example), the friendly staff make up for it.
Amenities: Bar, food truck, pool
Insider Tip: Rooms are snug, to be sure, so manage expectations accordingly.
Address: 5 Rue Marcel Paul, 06160 Antibes
Hôtel Lily of the Valley, La Croix-Valmer
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Designed by the legendary Philippe Starck, Hôtel Lily of the Valley – part wellness sanctuary, part luxury med spa – is the ultimate wellness stay on the French Riviera. The hotel's unique wellness programme, created by nutritionist Jacques Fricker, is customised for every guest following an initial check-up and includes dietary plans, yoga and exercise regimens, as well as a myriad of treatments, such as cryotherapy and Indiba. The hotel also features fitness studios, a semi-Olympic pool and a spa with saunas, steam rooms and a snow shower. When it’s time for recovery, guests can recline on a sunlounger on the hotel’s private beach to (safely) soak up some vitamin D.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, spa and wellness centre, pool, beach club, private parking
Insider tip: Should you wish to begin your wellness journey ahead of the summer months, Hôtel Lily of the Valley is open year-round.
Address: Colline Saint Michel, Boulevard Abel Faivre, Quartier de Gigaro, 83420 La Croix-Valmer
Hôtel La Ponche, Saint-Tropez
After you’ve parked your car in the private parking space nearby, Hôtel La Ponche’s vintage Piaggio will whisk you to the family-home-turned-hotel overlooking the cinematically acclaimed cove of La Ponche, the famed backdrop in Brigitte Bardot’s And God Created Woman, which guests can treat as their own private swimming pool. Discreetly situated in this authentic fishing village, the hotel is the essence of quiet luxury, featuring 21 rooms and three apartments meticulously designed by Fabrizio Casiraghi and rooted in elevated simplicity, as well as a piano bar and Provençal restaurant that extends from the terrace to the sea. Ask the concierge to book you a motorboat rental for a day at sea, complete with a skipper and a chef-prepared picnic.
Amenities: Restaurant, bar, beach access, private parking, valet service
Insider tip: pets are allowed at an additional fee of €25 a day.
Address: 5 Rue des Remparts, 83990 Saint-Tropez
La Réserve Ramatuelle, Ramatuelle
Often linked to its flamboyant neighbour, St Tropez, Ramatuelle is a medieval hilltop village with a long stretch of sandy beaches that St Tropez often claims as its own. To be sure, Ramatuelle is the quieter antidote to its more scene-y neighbour and evidence of this can be found at La Réserve Ramatuelle, a modern five-star resort made up of an assortment of suites and spacious villas, set in a private estate on a hillside overlooking a beautiful bay. The property features a variety of dining options on site, as well as a tranquil spa bathed in natural light. While travellers may feel blissfully removed from the crowds, they needn’t feel left out – they can be whisked down to join the party at any moment; just ask for the hotel’s three-wheeler shuttle to escort you down to La Réserve à la Plage optimally situated on Pampelonne beach.
Amenities: restaurants, bars, pool, spa, fitness centre, private beach club
Insider tip: Ask about VIP rosé tastings at Château La Mascaronne, the hotel’s sister property, located just one hour inland from La Réserve.
Address: 736 Chemin des Cretes, 83350 Ramatuelle