Hotel Pastis

A super-smart, very private bolthole in St. Tropez with exquisite rooms, exceptional art and a shimmering courtyard pool

This gorgeous small hotel is just the spot for those who seek the life of Riley down in St Tropez. It's almost a gallery with rooms, given the exceptional art on the walls - Matisse, David Hockney, John Hoyland to name a few. But most of all it's a magical place to do nothing at all: to laze about on sofas in the shade and scoff a late breakfast; to chill out by the sun-drenched pool and top up your tan; to hide away in your magnificent room and watch movies on a flatscreen TV; or to snooze on your terrace.

Airy interiors are sublime - contemporary French chic with no expense spared. Everything is designed to look beautiful, be it a cabinet of Pastis jugs in the entrance hall or a plate of seasonal fruits on the breakfast table. There are poolside sun loungers at the foot of palm trees, and you can slide into the bar for strong coffee, a cold beer, fresh orange pressée or champagne aperos. Elsewhere: stone floors, white walls, cool tunes and Andy Warhol lurking on the walls. This hotel is hard to leave, but don't miss the still captivating markets, beaches, yachts and humming streets of St Tropez.

Highs

• Serious style, magnificent art, fabulous interiors
• Bedrooms, all with balconies or terraces, aren't cheap, but nor is anything you'll find in them
• Staff and owners go the whole way - this is a much-loved hotel
• When the summer crowds are hot under the collar, you can escape to the peaceful pool
• Free off-street parking in St Tropez is a real boon

Lows

• The area gets extremely crowded in July and August, with traffic jams that stretch for miles
• You're not in the centre of town, rather an 8-minute stroll from it (but this keeps you away from the crowds)
• The hotel stands on the road that leads into town and a couple of rooms at the front may get some noise in summer
• Breakfast costs extra (see Rates)