St Tropez: La Réserve Ramatuelle Hotel Spa and Villas

An oasis of calm and natural grandeur awaits at the five star La Réserve Ramatuelle in St Tropez.

Offering staggering ocean views just a few minutes from the heart of St Tropez, this immaculately stylish 5 star hotel is as elegant as St Tropez can be, complete with its own Michelin star restaurant, La Voile.

The opulent hotel is located on top of a secluded cliff overlooking the Mediterranean sea within a nature reserve, a swift 15 minute drive from the bustle and buzz of St Tropez town.

This luxurious hotel is truly peace on earth, five star style. From the moment I arrived, I was gob-smacked by the jaw-dropping views and elegant, calm, relaxed but modern and opulent feel of the place. 

With the launch of the much talked about new La Réserve á La Plage (Beach Club) designed by Philippe Starck which opened this year, the party beat of this exclusive Cote D’Azur location is never far away, and this is predicted to be the hottest place to stay in summer 2019.

The feel of the property is classy, slick and intimate. Think white, taupe, cream and Scandanavian style light oak wood. The French architect, Jean-Michel Wilmotte who created the breathtaking design is known for creating stylish interiors where nature and architecture integrate. This is one of his finest designs that achieves this.

He has pulled off a magnificent architectural feat as both the facade as well as the interiors of the building seamlessly frame the surrounding ocean.

There are 28 guest rooms, 19 of which are suites, flooded with natural light and an energy and peacefulness that can only be found in Europe on the edge of the Meditteranean sea. These are hotel rooms you don’t want to leave. They feel fresh, uncluttered, modern and elegant.

The feel is impeccably white, with streamlined luxury and sweeping sea views. Many suites have private terraces with sea views and/or a private lawn directly in front.

They have a Bose sound systems, relaxing white spa baths, as well as separate showers, large wardrobes, and every amenity you could dream of.

The La Réserve bath products (made in-house) are starting to gain a cult following. They have a fresh, citrus based fragrance that fills the entire room when used in the shower, and work brilliantly in the sea-side environment.

In addition there are 14 sprawling private villas, ranging in size from three to six bedrooms. Each has a private pool, in-villa chef and butlers on demand.

The Beach Club, á La Plage on Pampelonne Beach is setting new standards in cuisine along the beach front with a modern menu of sushi and sashimi options and upmarket salads, and main dishes.

I ate one of the best steaks I have ever had there, and coming from Australia, that’s a big call. The rib eye (off the bone) was Italian and magnificently flavoured and cooked. Cocktails are abundant, and European wines aplenty.

Staff are young, fresh and gorgeous, as is the black and white marble which features on bar edges and is chunky and appealing

The toilets are overflowing with huge Italian marble chunks so confronting and unexpected, there could be more instagram images taken there than on the beachfront this season.

Beach beds are comfortable and the interiors of the restaurant feature tan coloured timber as well as the marble in striking bold black and white.

It’s a relaxed, beachy but stylish feel against the backdrop of golden sand and sea.

Complimentary shuttles run from the hotel to á La Plage all day for hotel guests ( as well as to surrounding beaches and towns).

After a few days, guests feel like they know the staff on a personal basis, as the team at La Reserve Ramatuelle is small, but committed and passionate. They remember coffee orders each breakfast, newspaper orders, and are full of suggestions of things to do.

The concierge particularly is outstanding and went personally to the chemist to buy cold and flu tablets for me  – and wouldn’t even let me pay for them.

The Michelin star restaurant within La Réserve Ramatuelle, La Voile is superb and has a range of regular dishes as well as healthy dining options including a prix-fixe wellness menu (€85), but every dish is a work of art as is to be expected with Michelin star dining.

La Voile certainly serves the best food in the area, both in terms of presentation and taste. This means locals flock there creating a buzzy international vibe most evenings. You never know who you might see.

La Voile has a stunning wine list including many from the vineyard of the owner of La Réserve, Michel Reybier.

Daily breakfast for in-house guests is a buffet which includes low-sugar as well as gluten-free options, fresh fruit, and pastries and eggs are made to order. Lunch is either by the pool (indoor or outdoor) and one of my favourite spots for lunch or a mid-afternoon champagne was the small outdoor terrace overlooking the view.

The fabulous spa has treatment rooms with views of the ocean, as well as a huge indoor pool complete with aqua bike for a morning fitness session, and an exceptionally well stocked hotel gym.

Personal Trainers are on hand at minimal cost, and a fabulous Canadian yoga instructor hailing from Thailand was in-house during my stay for one on one sessions as well as classes.

Whilst small, La Réserve 5 star luxury hotels and spas is fast becoming one of Europe’s most exclusive and upmarket privately owned hotel groups for well travelled luxury connoisseurs. Each of the three hotel properties has its own Michelin star restaurant as well as extraordinary health, fitness and spa facilities.

There is a startlingly regal hotel in the heart of Paris, La Réserve Paris, a second, separate annexe in Paris , La Reserve Paris apartments, with luxury apartments as well as a sprawling estate in Geneva, La Réserve Hotel and Spa Geneva with one of the most luxurious health and wellness facilities right on the edge of Lake Geneva.

Word is another property will open in Europe before the end of the year.

But La Réserve Ramatuelle is in a league if its own, simply because of the location within nature and the oasis of calm and serenity amongst sheer unbridled luxury that enraptures guests the moment they arrive. Click here for more on La Réserve Ramatuelle.