

Hôtel La Ponche, Saint-Tropez, France
Last year, on a chilly January day, I started dreaming about visiting my dear friend who happens to live in the South of France. Just as I started researching hotels, I noticed that J.Crew had photographed their entire catalog in Saint-Tropez! When I spotted Hôtel La Ponche in their photos, I looked it up, and immediately fell in love. Then it landed on a Condé Nast list … and that made it a done deal ☀️ Olympia Gayot, the super stylish Creative Director and Head of Design at J.Crew, shared her trip chronicles here (@olympiamarie – Highlights Summer 24).
Hôtel La Ponche is a luxury boutique hotel that offers a mixture of beautifully appointed rooms, suites and apartments, some with sea views. The service is personalized (the concierge is amazing and helped us with everything), efficient (low guest to staff ratio) and very friendly (they know what they’re doing). When you walk into the lobby, you feel like you’ve entered a Mediterranean-style parlor; it’s chic, intimate and warm. Breakfast on the terrace, with its water views and proper French cuisine, is the perfect way to start the day. And the lobby bar, stylish and inviting, is the ideal way to wrap up the evening. It’s basically the perfect place to stay if you’re going to be in Saint-Tropez.So Susie Rating: a resounding thumbs up!
Our Beautiful Room at La Ponche


We stayed in the “Prestige Tropezian with Sea View” Suite, and it was spectacular. The private terrace overlooking the sea and the citadel was everything we wanted: we worked, ate breakfast, drank champagne and even napped on the lounge chairs, in the sun. So magical … I feel more relaxed just thinking about it 😌 This suite was spacious, with a separate bedroom and a large bathroom, and a living room with a bar/coffee/tea set up that made us never want to leave. And, they always brought goodies with the turn down service. What a treat!
Location, location, location …



The location of La Ponche is unbeatable. Surrounded by cute shops, outdoor seafood restaurants, and a crepe bar that’s a Saint-Tropez institution (the old-time crepe makers wear chef’s hats and the busiest time is 1 am). You are just steps from a small, rocky beach where you can soak your feet in the Bay of Saint-Tropez after a long day of shopping — and eating and drinking wine and sipping cocktails — you get the idea. It’s also a 5-10 minute from some of the best restaurants in town. I would not hesitate to stay here again, and look forward to coming back … soon!
Make a reservation at these iconic Beach Clubs



To top it off, the vibe at Le Palmiers was unmatched. At one point during our dinner, the servers jumped up and danced on the tabletops while everyone waved their napkins around and sang along. Some guests got up and danced with them as the champagne flowed. It was incredible!
Vibe check: Beautifully designed, great food, cool music, super fun atmosphere
Byblos Beach – A true classic and one of the most well-known of the Saint Tropez beach clubs, Byblos Beach is the place to go for a stylish and relaxed experience on the legendary Pampelonne beach.With large sunbeds and flowy parasols, the beach club has a laid back ambience that inspires you to order a drink, relax in the breeze and take a little nap (I took several). The restaurant, Ramatuelle, is directly behind the beach chairs and is known for its authentic Mediterranean cuisine, with locally-sourced vegetables, fish and meats. We had a light meal of salad, pasta and cod, and it was absolutely delicious. And did I mention that the cocktails are amazing? Go ahead, indulge at lunch … then snooze in the sun.
Vibe check: French Riviera meets maritime-influenced design, gourmet Mediterranean cuisine and great music
Things to do in Saint-Tropez


Choose a beautiful candle or a special perfume at Maison ST, people- and yacht-watch while eating a slice of Tarte Tropézienne at Le Senequier, browse the gorgeous DIOR Boutique, grab a scoop of ice cream from Raimo Glacier, play pétanque at the Place des Lices, pick up a picnic lunch at the Provençal Market (Tuesdays and Saturdays only at the Place des Lices), try a world-famous macaron at Ladurée, take a boat ride in the Bay of Saint-Tropez, sip a latte at Mamé … enjoy Saint-Tropez! ☀️
Thank you for reading, and happy travels xx
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