Stardom is in Saint-Tropez’s DNA. The secluded fishing village first shot to fame because of a film (Roger Vadim’s “And God Created Woman” (1956), starring Brigitte Bardot), and its cinematic appeal has lured generations of filmmakers. Nowadays it’s the ultimate celebrity playground: Diners nibble on Arnaud Donckele’s straight-from-the-sea cuisine at Cheval Blanc, night clubbers hit the dance floor at Les Caves du Roy, billionaires bronze their bodies on the Plage de Pampelonne. Here, the champagne flows like the surf spraying over the prows of superyachts.
Could there be a more perfect setting for “The White Lotus”? HBO’s monster hit, chronicling the capers and crimes of the ultra-luxe on vacation, was previously shot in Hawaii, Sicily, and Thailand. For Season 4, which started filming in late April with a rumored budget of around $120 million, creator Mike White sharpened his claws to skewer the film industry in a satire centered on the Cannes Film Festival. Settings include Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de La Messardière (converted to White Lotus du Cap on screen) and Hôtel Martinez Cannes, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt (White Lotus Cannes), with other cameos in Monaco and Paris (Mandarin Oriental Lutetia).
These real-life hotels are already a reference in French hospitality: The Riviera’s cup runneth over when it comes to luxury accommodations. Yet if the previous seasons are any indicator, the so-called “White Lotus” effect could boost tourism in a big way. (The New York Times reported a 424 percent surge in Sicily sales, captured in Virtuoso data, after Season 2.) It was a real coup for the Côte d’Azur to clinch the deal over rival destinations like Spain and Italy. Cannes City Hall went all out on a year-long opération seduction pitching the region’s movie industry know-how alongside its obvious photogenic charm. But the biggest boon is the enduring on-screen destination marketing to millions of international viewers.
Surveying the Scene
In early May, Saint-Tropez's see-and-be-seen ethos was on full display. From the first morning coffee at café institution Sénéquier to the sunset aperitif, the people-watching on the port is like a competitive sport. You’d never guess the cast and production crew were holed up in the hilltop palace where Airelles Château de La Messardière offers views over both Saint-Tropez and the Plage de Pampelonne. (On a previous visit to the turreted estate, General Manager Mauro Governato summed it up succinctly as “paradise.”)
The late spring and autumn filming, which closes the property, is bookending the summer season so the hotel’s habitués can return to their hideaway for Valmont treatments at the spa, the imagination-defying Kids Club, and the dessert spread by star pastry chef Cédric Grolet. Meanwhile, the hotel’s Jardin Tropezina beach club was open for guests to enjoy chef Jean-François Piège’s food with a view.
Speaking of the plage: getting to Pampelonne was a breeze. In high season, the roads in Saint-Tropez are notoriously clogged with traffic, meaning boat arrival is the best way to do it: Access is part of the reason for Saint-Tropez’s exclusivity; there’s no train line serving this end-of-the-road peninsula. The newly debuted COMO Le Beauvallon, situated across the bay, circumvents the problem by offering a complimentary eight-minute boat service for stylish arrivals directly into the Saint-Tropez marina.
First opened in 1914 and host to famous guests like Winston Churchill and F. Scott Fitzgerald, this Belle Époque grande dame had been run as a private events venue for more than a decade before being reborn as a 42-room seaside hotel vying for a spot in the coterie of Saint-Tropez icons. Under Singapore-based COMO, the property anchors a new French trio alongside COMO Le Montrachet and COMO Cordeillan-Bages. The food is a main event. Yannick Alléno, who has the most Michelin stars of any chef in the world, oversees the F&B concepts, including the Beach Club decorated in a blue-and-yellow Mediterranean palette by acclaimed designer Dorothée Delaye. Experience the region’s bumper crop of ingredients in shared plates accented with Asian flavors: The sushi selection and dim sum are standouts.
A Bevy of Luxury Hotels
COMO is gambling that a heritage hotel will take its place among the Saint-Tropez big hitters. Given the competition, these luxury hideaways invest in constant improvements to keep their guests happy. At Hôtel Byblos, Antoine Chevanne, owner and chairman of the Floirat Signatures hospitality group, told me how his team can quickly implement guest requests — whether culinary concepts or amenities — because it’s a small, family-owned venture. First opened in 1967, this much-loved Saint-Tropez icon (immortalized in Drake’s song “Middle of the Ocean”) now welcomes the grandchildren of the original guests. It feels like family — they greet the Caves du Roy bouncers with a kiss on the cheek. (“There aren’t many nightclubs in existence for more than 50 years!”)
The storytelling is key.
“People coming to Saint-Tropez want to live the story of Saint-Tropez," Chevanne said.
Hence, they’ve sought to retain the Byblos art de vivre even while renovating and adding next-level experiences: the Sky Bar, pairing gourmet tapas with exclusive cocktails; a new fitness center with the latest Technogym equipment by Antonio Citterio; the Byblos boutique for limited-edition merch; eight newly designed suites by Laura Gonzalez; and new bespoke Sisley treatments at the spa.
Newcomers like AREV St-Tropez strive to feel like they’ve always been there. This retro-chic retreat debuted in 2024 with a revived iteration of the town’s oldest restaurant, The Strand. The Mediterranean menu is a celebration of local products; don’t miss the truffle-accented artichoke soup and the tuna tartare drizzled with citrus dressing on a crispy rice cracker. With striped bar stools and vibrant pops of blue and red, the decor conjures a yacht club, while the light-strung outside patio recreates the lively Place des Lices, where locals play pétanque. A retro truck painted in AREV red doubles as a bar serving Aperol Spritz.
Designed like a village with 35 rooms spread across five jasmine-scented buildings tended by master gardener Stéphane, it’s all about fun, laid-back luxury — try a spa treatment with products by local brand Maison ST, or make it a rosé-all-day hangout by the pool, courtesy of “hosts” who’ll have you laughing out loud (merci, Arthur!)
After all, it’s the employees that make Saint-Tropez work. An army of local staff cater to the yachts, restaurants, and luxury hotels, many of them moving to Courchevel in winter when the same clientele trades bikinis for fur coats. The “White Lotus” formula shines the spotlight as much on hospitality workers as the high-flying moguls and socialites they service. As such, the series is a window into local culture.
Who better to share a destination’s secrets?
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