No two words encapsulate that supercool, sun-drenched, devil-may-care Côte d’Azur decadence quite like St Tropez. And no two letters explain why better than BB, which is how Brigitte Bardot, French film icon and, in the parlance of her era, sex symbol, is affectionately known. Until she and her then husband, film director Roger Vadim, rolled up in 1955 to shoot And God Created Woman, St Tropez was a sleepy little fishing village blissfully unaware of the global celebrity about to engulf it.
From the simple cafe on nearby Pampellone beach which fed Vadim’s film crew with one small gas stove – which now is Club55, the first of a string of uber-stylish beach bars and restaurants – to the town’s port where fishing boats have long since been elbowed out by superyachts, St Tropez has become a byword for a glamorous hedonism of its own making. While the town now boasts an array of ultra-luxe hospitality, the latest staging post on this unstoppable journey of French joie de vivre reaches back to those barefoot BB beginnings for its inspiration. Arev, riffing off dream (rêve) in French, is the first property from Arev Collection, which debuted last year on the edge of town; far enough away from streets that veer ever closer to over-touristed, yet close enough to immerse oneself into them at will.
With a charming laid-back informality, exceptionally friendly staff and a seductive design palette blending old-school Riviera refinement into 21st-century luxury, it’s only this summer that Arev starts to stretch out and dream big with the unveiling of further accommodations and a relocated restaurant.
STAY
With no formal check-in desk, the impression of strolling into a private villa is fully intentional, although given the nautical overtones deployed by Madrileño designer Luis Bustamante, a private member’s yacht club for artists partial to some occasional sailing might be more the mark. Bustamante – whose work incorporates the Little Nell in Aspen, and the Mexico City home of enigmatic Beverley Hills art collector Eugenio Lopez Alonso – channels that retro-chic Tropezian opulence with a bold display of red, white and blue in all directions, toile de Jouy and more than a few stripes.
This summer’s launch of 11 suites, most with expansive terraces, including the first bi-level signature suite, brings the room count to 35, with 43 planned by 2027. Blissfully comfortable beds with fine French bed linen and Hungarian goose-down pillows provide a respite from overindulgence. Buildings of pale Provençal stone with traditional powder-blue shutters are garlanded by grounds that are extensively and very impressively planted with only local Mediterranean plants, each one with its own passport, and not a palm tree in sight.
With an ambitious target to elevate itself into the top five destinations in St Tropez, Arev is already establishing its raison d’être as a property with excellent access to the town.
DINE
The gastronomic offering at the Strand restaurant is impressive, and a close culinary connection with New York’s Meatpacking District stalwart Bagatelle certainly helps. The executive chef there, Rocco Seminara, together with his partner, Bagatelle’s pastry chef Manon Santini, collaborate closely with The Strand’s executive chef François-Laurent Apchié, formerly head chef at Bagatelle in London’s Mayfair, on the modern Provençal menus. They’re all from Provence and earned their stripes working under Alain Ducasse, which shows.
The Strand, with the resurrected name of a long-standing, now shuttered St Tropez restaurant, was relocated this summer away from the main building to a courtyard, Place des Oliviers, with an atmospheric bar and wine cellar that can be repurposed for candlelit dining. The repositioned Strand, making full use of the estate’s expansive footprint, adds a sophisticated veneer to a property now suddenly finding its feet.
RELAX
The beautiful 50-ft heated adults-only pool has a discreet bar tucked away down the deep end, for those wishing to start the evening or continue the festivities from the one before. The newly unveiled suites house a second smaller and family-friendly pool, while for those in search of more active recreation, the hotel’s padel court is one of just two in St Tropez.
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EXPLORE
The nearly-12,000-sq-ft spa area, as with much else at Arev, embraces a quintessentially St Tropez sense of place. Instead of partnering with one of the big-name Paris cosmetic houses, the spa has been developed alongside Maison ST which is essentially young perfumier Laure Beretti, who counted Karl Lagerfeld among her regular customers at her shop down in the town (she also conducts perfume master classes at the hotel). Spa guests can create their own blends from Maison ST base oils for a variety of treatments, including on St Tropez’s only spa waterbed, with two hammams available for post-treatment recovery.
Arev is seven minutes away from Place des Lices, St Tropez’s much-Instagrammed, pétanque-playing main square enshrouded in plane trees, and the scene of bustling Saturday and Tuesday markets. There are regular transfers for those who require them, as well as some stylish e-bikes available. Transfers are also arranged throughout the day to Pampellone Beach.
Personally guided bike excursions can be arranged, as can yacht charters. In late September, the yacht festival, Les Voiles de St Tropez, is not to be missed.
