Are you looking for last minute
travel advice? Why not head to the south to mingle with the jet set at Bagatelle Beach and dance
to DJ Jacky at Les Caves? Welcome to Saint Tropez!
This coastal fishing village about
an hour by car from Toulon airport became popular among celebrities and the jet
set in the 1960’s. Even nowadays, Saint Tropez remains popular for its
nightlife and is definitely a place to be during the summer months. However,
unlike other jet set destinations such as Monaco and St Barths, Saint Tropez ressembles
a chocolate Kinder egg; once you remove the surface, a surprise awaits you. One
such surprise in Saint Tropez, or more specifically in neighbouring and very
chic Ramatuelle, is Villa Marie, a true luxury hotel in the style of a
Mediterranean villa nestled in a pine forest.
After a short drive on a narrow and very
squiggly street to the extent that we asked ourselves if it was really a
two-way street, we arrive at the gates of Villa Marie which open up to a
fantastic garden filled with sweet pink and bloody red roses mixed with beautifully
cut bushes. We enter the property and
follow the small road leading up to a mini roundabout where we park the car and
continue by foot on the gravel pathway which leads passed romantic fountains up
to the villa. The check in takes place on the terrace where we are served
freshly squeezed juices and homemade lemonade while filling out the required
forms. As we are being told that our room is not yet ready (we arrived at 1pm and
check in time is usually at 4pm, which I think is rather late!), we are taken
through the library/study room via the light winter garden down to the pool
area where a former greenhouse turned into the restaurant Dolce Vita is
located. Luckily, the restaurant also has a charming terrace overlooking the
pool area and the bay of Ramatuelle. For lunch, the restaurant suggests a
lighter à la carte menu with local specialties such as the Villa Marie Pan
Bagnat (traditional tuna and vegetable sandwiches with bread soaked in olive
oil) and the Pampelonne salad consisting of tomatoes, feta cheese, cucumber and
olives (Greek style), and other Mediterranean delicious dishes such as
Lebanese-style tabbouleh salad and thinly sliced beef heart tomatoes with
creamy mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. Being on the Riviera, we opted for
two true local specialties: Pan Bagnat and a Pampelonne salad. The result was
two-fold as the Pan Bagnat was a true success with a soft and soaking bread
generously filled with oily tuna and thinly cut raw vegetables and hard-boiled
eggs. On the contrary, the Pampelonne salad, albeit a pretty sight on the
plate, came in a tiny portion which left my stomach wanting more. Thus, we
attacked the dessert menu and ordered a mango and pineapple carpaccio with
basil as well as a red fruit parfait with frozen yoghurt. To our delight, the
desserts were as delicious as they seemed on the menu!
Let’s get back to the room, which was ready by 3pm (about an hour prior to the promised check in time) once we had finished our lunch. I have to add that despite having reserved the room via Small Luxury Hotels of the World, a network of great luxury hotels around the world where early check in is one of the member features upon availability, we were a bit disappointed not to have access to our room earlier in the afternoon. Anyway, back to the most exciting part of any travel; namely, to discover where the room is situated and how it looks. At Villa Marie, our room was located on the first floor which meant that our small balcony was facing the vast Pampelonne Bay. On the downside, the entrance was literally in the staircase with a fire door right next to our room which meant that day and night we had the slamming noise from the door every time someone opened it.
Regardless of the unfortunate
location of our room, the actual room interior had a romantic and cozy feeling
to it with subtle pastel shades and a bathroom open to the bedroom area. The
bathroom was filled with Pure Altitude products, the MAISONS & HOTELS
Sibuet group’s very own cosmetics brand founded in 2002 using 100% plant
extracts from rare mountain plants. These products were generously replaced
twice a day during the day and evening service.
During our entire three-night stay
at Villa Marie, we indulged in our continental breakfast on our pretty balcony
overlooking the property’s vast pine forest with the only sound of the
birds and crickets singing. Speaking of the breakfast, we never waited more
than 15 minutes from our call to delivery and it was delivered every day by a
kind lady who not only brought it to our room and placed it on the balcony
table, but she also put pillows on the chairs in order to maximise our comfort
(a definite plus and a true attention to details). The continental breakfast
contained a large basket of fresh bread and pastries, butter, honey and several
jars of jam by Alain Milliat, “freshly squeezed juice”, a hot drink which in our
case was a cappuccino and filter coffee, a yoghurt and fresh fruit salad.
Unfortunately, we discovered the first day that the grapefruit juice was bottled
and not fresh, so the remaining two mornings we ordered freshly squeezed orange
juice instead which had a perfect sweet and sour balance. The filter coffee
and cappuccino were good without being anything special, but the pastries were
extraordinary! Fresh, crispy and huge croissants and pain au chocolat caught
our entire attention to the extent that we did not even try the bread! I have
tried many pastries during our multiple travels within France and abroad and
many times the room service breakfast is a disappointment and thus I am very
picky with my compliments. But this hotel is definitely worth a visit only to
try the marvelous French pastries served every morning either in the room or
downstairs on the breakfast terrace!
The pool area perfectly fits into
the atmosphere with its lagoon-like style with natural stones descending into
the inviting water. Surrounding the pool are sunbeds with warm terracotta
coloured mattresses and matching towels and umbrellas. It cannot become anymore
Riveria-style than this! To those of you interested in keeping in shape
while on holidays, the gym can be found right next to the pool ensuring a
beautiful view while running or cycling. However, unfortunately the small but
adequately equipped gym does not have any air conditioning so I suggest you go
there in the morning before the sun rays heat it up too much.
While being on the wellness subject,
the spa needs mentioning. The treatments are conducted by kind and polite
therapists who truly seek each guest’s wellbeing by ensuring that the room and
bed temperature are satisfying and the pressure is perfect. During my
treatment, I felt like a princess in a haven of tranquility and relaxation, and
my mind was in a faraway place. Nonetheless, my husband and I were slightly
disappointed by the lack of sauna, steam bath and jacuzzi which are essential
parts at a true luxury spa.
To summarise, Villa Marie is a five-star
hotel that stands out from the crowd thanks to its Tuscan style and tranquil
ambiance, only a stone’s throw away from the busy cobble streets of St Tropez.
If you want the advantages of a hotspot and a haven of calm, then this is the
place for you! Do not skip the breakfast while staying there, the French
pastries are a must, and take advantage even more of the quiet atmosphere by
booking a relaxing treatment in advance as the spa only consists of 3 treatment
rooms.
As DJ Jacky would say: Welcome to
Saint Tropez!
