The Best Hotels in the South of France, From Historic Villas to Glamorous Beachfront Properties

It’s not like you need an excuse to visit the South of France. Sipping sundowners at the glamorous beach clubs that propagate 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 tons of hotels to choose from in the South of France.

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: Tuba Club, Marseille
• Antibes: Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Cap d’Antibes

While there’s no shortage of glamorous five-star stays in 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 unaffordable luxury hotels– is now a beacon for cute boutique stays, attracting that familiar creative revelry that defined the French Riviera in the ’60s and ’70s. From a healthy mix of classic, high-end resorts 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 in June 2024 following a 10 year renovation, three buildings of a former convent nestled in the heart of Nice have been lovingly restored four centuries later to form the 88-room Hôtel du Couvent. The hotel’s fragrant garden extends over 2.5 acres perfumed with olive, lemon and apricot trees; this spiritual quality continues down below in the hotel’s thermal bath circuit, a tribute to the Roman baths in Cimiez, Nice, where guests can plunge into the three successive baths (temperate, hot and cold) before beginning their day in bustling Nice. Guests can then 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 the local market, where the outsiders can buy local products from producers and farmers.

Address: 1 Rue Honoré Ugo, 06300 Nice

Château de Théoule, Théoule-sur-Mer

After careful restoration of the former soap factory turned private mansion overlooking the sea, the historic Château de Théoule has reinvented itself as 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 a transportive 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 contrasted against the surrounding Massif de l’Estérel, a rugged red mountain range that surrounds the property–making it a haven for hikers and nature enthusiasts who have access to an abundance of hiking trails and hidden coves right from their doorstep.

Amenities: Restaurants, bars, private beach, spa

Insider Tip: You won’t have to find your way to a nearby harbor to catch your boat for a day on the water as the property conveniently features a private boat slip.

Address: 55 Av. 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 its opening 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 still manages to maintain, not simply with its star-studded roster of visitors but through remains of its glamorous past immortalized throughout the property, such as the restaurant’s menus designed by Pablo 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 center, beauty salon, kid’s club, sea access

Insider Tip: Don’t forget to book a treatment at the new Dior Spa Eden-Roc, just opened last season.

Address: 167-165 Bd J. F. Kennedy, 06160 Antibes

Pan Deï Palais, Saint-Tropez

In the heart of the village of St. Tropez, Pan Deï Palais forms a private residence originally built by General Jean-François Allard as a gift to his beloved, the Indian princess Bannu Pan Deï in 1835, and ultimately became their family home where their five children were raised. Today, the 12-room luxury boutique hotel preserves that same romantic spirit and warm atmosphere. Like all Airelles hotels, rooms are elegant and understated, and each feature direct access to the blue tile mosaic pool set in a fragrant garden shaded by palm and olive trees. Mini-Moke jeeps and the property’s signature Rolls-Royce are available to shuttle guests to the hotel’s private beach, Jardin Tropézina situated on the famed Pampelonne Beach.

Amenities: Restaurant, bar, pool, private beach, shuttle beach service, spa, fitness center, kid’s club

Insider’s Tip: Have the chef 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 Antibes’s buzziest newcomer, making its marks with bubblegum pink sun loungers lining its private beach club and retro Palm Springs-inspired interiors subtly popping up on our Instagram feeds. At Cap d’Antibes Beach Hotel, guests also 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 hosted 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 Bd 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 the cult-favorite hotel group, the Nice property offers a welcome contrast to this traditionally pretentious stretch of the Riviera. The comfortable atmosphere is articulated through the hotel’s 38 rooms characterized by the brand’s familiar details, like well-appointed bookshelves and eclectic artwork. Also on the property, guests have access to a shaded patio restaurant (favored among locals and guests alike) and a panoramic rooftop with a swimming pool. Located just 5-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 train station, making nearly everything in town within walking distance.

Address: 3 Av. des Fleurs, 06000 Nice

Château de la Messardière, Saint-Tropez

Built within a 19-century chateau in the hillside of Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière overlooks the pristine Saint-Tropez Bay, Ramatuelle vineyards, and the glitzy beaches of Pampelonne; while on site, you’ll have everything you need at your fingertips. Sporty types will be satisfied with a variety of activities to partake in–from tennis to petanque to pilates and yoga or boxing with a boxing champion—while those looking to relax can hide away in the luxurious Valmont spa or wind 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 their private beach, or grab an electric bike or mini-Moke to cruise down on your own.

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 a luxury resort to themselves, where they’re encouraged to come and go as they please.

Address: 2 Rte de Tahiti, 83990 Saint-Tropez

Tuba Club, Marseille

Suspended over a rocky cliff of the Goudes, an area of Marseille renowned for its fishing port, Tuba sits in a 100-year-old property that most famously housed a diving school in the ’80s, one that was frequented by the legendary French diver Jacques Mayol and his friends. Today, the small cliffside hotel is Marseille’s coolest hangout, featuring five eclectic rooms, designed by 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 the 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, ask for a Tuba picnic baskets to take with you, which includes: a bottle of wine, anchovy dip, a pan bagnat, some snacks and a fluorescent snorkel.

Address: 2 Bd 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 the neighboring Marseille, the historic Hôtel Les Roches Blanches sits proudly in an old mansion on 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 1920’s with Winston Churchill and Edith Piaf as notable guests) informs the architecture, while its modern interiors due to its recent renovation in 2018 create a comfortable and luxurious ambiance.

Amenities: Restaurants, bars, pool deck, sea access, spa, fitness center

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 center.

Address: 9 Av. des Calanques, 13260 Cassis

Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, Cap-Ferrat

Arriving at the iconic Club Dauphin pool, 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 somehow 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 who has managed 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 located nearby.

Amenities: Restaurants, bars, pool, spa, fitness center

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 Bd du Général de Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Hôtel Lou Pinet, Saint-Tropez

Hôtel Lou Pinet is a dream carried out by the family behind Crillon le Brave and Le Coucou Méribel, and it’s exactly that: a family hotel. With the owners’ ancestral roots and ties to St. Tropez informing the sensibility felt across this bucolic five-star boutique hotel in the heart of St. Tropez, the property feels like you’re at home. With just 34 accommodations surrounding the fragrant garden’s swimming pool and beloved Beefbar restaurant, guests may be hard-pressed to leave the hotel at all. While the property doesn’t have its own beach club, for those that do want to trade the garden pool for the seaside, a free shuttle service to and from the Place des Lices and Tahiti beaches runs daily from 8:30am-12:00pm.

Amenities: Valet parking, spa, fitness center, 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 Chem. du Pinet, 83990 Saint-Tropez

Hôtel le Sud, Antibes

The delightfully low-key Hôtel le Sud makes the perfect home 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 neighborhood, known for its bustling seafront promenade and long stretch of sandy beaches, the tiny-but-packs-a-punch Hôtel le Sud exudes warmth across its 29 whimsical rooms designed by Stéphanie Lizée, characterized by warm woods, scalloped edges, and playful hand-painted wall doodles. The young and playful energy of the hotel extends into the public spaces, which includes 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 makes 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

Designed by the legendary Philippe Stark, Hôtel Lily of the Valley is the ultimate wellness stay on the French Riviera. Part wellness sanctuary, part luxury med spa, Lily of the Valley’s unique wellness program created by nutritionist and physician, Dr. Jacques Fricker, offers tailor-made programs customized for each individual following their first check up, including nutritional plans, yoga and exercise regimens, as well as a myriad of various treatments, such as cryotherapy and Indiba. The hotel also features fitness class 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 and safely soak up some vitamin D.

Amenities: Restaurants, bars, spa and wellness center, pool, beach club, private parking

Insider Tip: Lily of the Valley is open year-round should you wish to begin your wellness journey ahead of the summer months.

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 parking lot 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 rooted in elevated simplicity, meticulously designed by Fabrizio Casiraghi, 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 with a skipper and a chef-prepared picnic to take with you.

Amenities: Restaurant, bar, beach access, private parking, valet service

Insider Tip: Pets are allowed at an additional fee of €25/day.

Address: 5 Rue des Remparts, 83990 Saint-Tropez

La Réserve Ramatuelle, Ramatuelle

Often linked to its flamboyant neighbor, St. Tropez, Ramatuelle is a lesser-known town characterized by its medieval hilltop village and long stretch of sandy beaches–of which St. Tropez often claims as its own. To be sure, Ramatuelle is the quieter antidote to its more scene-y neighbor; evidence of this can be found at La Réserve Ramatuelle, a modern five-star resort comprising of an assortment of suites and spacious villas, set in a private estate in the tranquil 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 travelers may feel blissfully removed from the crowds, you 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 center, 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 Chem. des Cretes, 83350 Ramatuelle