[category]
[title]
Like Catherine Deneuve after a particularly glossy blow-dry, Hôtel Byblos oozes vintage Euro glamour. On the eve of its 60th anniversary, this hillside Saint-Tropez hideaway still feels fresh, a French Riviera playground that combines Byzantine-era drama and Provençal village charm with a rock’n’roll heritage that would put Graceland to shame. Named after the ancient Lebanese city of Byblos, rumour has it that Lebanese businessman Jean-Prosper Gay-Para built the hotel in order to woo local resident Brigette Bardot in a Great Gatsby-esque fashion. But it was the 1971 wedding of Mick and Bianca Jagger which cast it as one of the world’s most elegant destinations. Yet considering its decadent history, a stay at Hôtel Byblos feels exceedingly laid-back. You won’t find Led Zeppelin tearing through the lobby on motorbikes, but rather daily changing tea infusions, a staircase lined with stunning ceramic tiles by the late French artist Roger Capron, and ancient carvings from the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, giving it the casual air of a private museum.
➡️ Our full guide to hotels in Europe
What are the rooms like at Hôtel Byblos?
There are 86 rooms at Hôtel Byblos (including 43 suites) and though original 1960s features can be found in the lobby and pool areas, the bedrooms and suites are bang up-to-date. Crisp and clean and icy white, all the hallmarks of a luxury hotel are present; an ice bucket with a bottle of wine on arrival, indecently comfy beds, clothes steamers, stocked mini-bars and a turndown service that includes pillow mist, chocolates in a box by the bed and slippers laid out for your bedtime ritual. Our favourite minor detail? The sugar cubes by the coffee machine come imprinted with the Byblos logo. Twelve of the suites offer a mid-century inspired glance to the hotel’s inception, newly decorated by interior designer Laura Gonzalez in beachy rattan furniture and Mediterranean-inspired colourways.
What are the facilities like at Hôtel Byblos?
If you’re the kind of person who needs to work-out while on holiday, then the brand new fitness centre is where you can pump peace or use shiny new machines to hone your poolside bod. Equipment is made of natural and sustainable materials, so you’ll also feel good about the environment as you bench press a new PB, and there’s a personal trainer for hire if you can’t bear to train alone. The peaceful outdoor pool, its curved shape inspired by the harbour at Byblos, isn’t one for training in, but an afternoon spent on a lounger here is as close to bliss as one can possibly get - especially when slices of surprise melon are delivered to every guest. There’s nothing that says quiet luxury than being offered gratis fruit from a silver platter while you bake in the sun. Want to be pampered even further? There’s the swish Byblos Spa by Sisley. Check out the epic Jean Derval mural which can only be viewed via the spa (as well as his Zeus mural in the middle of the pool), and the stunning couples treatment room, which was once a tearoom in a 16th-century palace in Beirut, and the site of decadent private parties when the hotel first opened. Want to let your hair down? The infamous Les Caves du Roy nightclub is underneath the hotel and packed every night during summer season with monied punters. Want a bit of beach life? The hotel offers free 15 minute transfers to their private beach bar and restaurant, Byblos Beach Ramatuelle, in prime position at nearby Riviera hotspot Pampelonne beach.
What is the food and restaurant like at Hôtel Byblos?
When you’ve got a pool area as lush as the one at Byblos, it makes sense that the hotel’s restaurant and bar areas are right next to it. Il Giardino offers an epic buffet breakfast, with everything from fresh figs to chubby Provençal sausages, honey on the comb, eggs anyway you like them, pancakes to order, viennoiserie, and many, many cakes. Come evening, it offers massive Med-style sharing plates, lush local wine and an ice cream trolley that serves us some truly sublime lemon gelato slathered with Brontë pistachio cream. If it’s drinks you’re after then score a cosy sofa at the al fresco and pillared Sky Bar. It’s only one storey tall, but offers truly lovely views of the bay around sunset, bringing to mind the more clement moments from The Odyssey. Back down on terra firma there’s the more casual poolside B Lounge where high-end booze still flows but food is of the burgers, pizzas and steak and fries variety. The eating’s good at Byblos Beach Ramatuelle. Pick at Caesar salad and calamari from your lounger, or sip on an iced coffee and a cocktail while contemplating the majestic waves.
What is the area like around Hôtel Byblos?
It’s a mere three minute stumble into the thick of Saint-Tropez, which is as pleasingly chilled out as the hotel itself. Sure, it’s packed with designer boutiques and tourist traps, but it’s still a laidback southern French town at its heart. Come to Place des Lices square to watch old boys play boules - though every Saturday its taken over by the historic market, where you can score everything from a rip-off Chanel suit for a toddler to fresh produce and vintage sunglasses. The town is pretty small, but you can spend a whole day ambling about its winding streets. Make sure to visit the spectacular seaside graveyard, Cimetière Marin de Saint-Tropez, where Bardot was laid to rest in 2025.
DETAILS:
Address: 20 Avenue Paul Signac, 83990 Saint-Tropez
Price: From €645 in a classic double room including VAT and service charge
Closest transport: La Môle - Saint-Tropez Airport is a 25-minute drive