If there's one destination that's synonymous with luxury, it's Saint Tropez. The French Riviera coastal town is the stuff of legends. The premiere destination for the jet set in the 1960s, for decades it's been attracting the rich and famous with azure waters and sophisticated beach clubs.
For the Saint Tropez leg of our French Riviera road trip, I wanted to stay somewhere really imbued with the town's style and glamour. Enter Airelles Pan Deï Palais. The intimate hotel is an oh so chic hideaway in the heart of Saint Tropez. With a fascinating history, elegant design-led spaces, and an ideal location, it's the perfect hotel for a quintessential Saint Tropez experience.
I spent one night at the hotel in late September, as part of a road trip along the Cote d'Azur. I've put together a full Airelles Pan Deï Palais Saint Tropez review, to share a little bit of my experience.
Airelles Pan Deï Palais Hotel Overview
Airelles Saint Pan Deï Palais is conveniently set in Saint Tropez town, within walking distance of boutiques, restaurants, the picturesque harbour front and Annonciade Museum. With just 12 rooms, it's a cosy, personal experience that feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the Saint Tropez streets.
Legend has it French soldier Jean-François Allard fell in love with Indian Princess Bannu Pan Deï, whisking her back to Saint Tropez and building the property as their private residence. Their love story is played out through thoughtfully curated Indian design accents. Mughal portraits of presumably long forgotten Indian aristocrats glower down from the walls, surveying intricately carved wooden panelling and colourful Asian soft furnishings. Indian design is more often than not extremely maximalist, but the Pan Deï Palais aesthetic is refreshingly pared back, offering an elevated take.
The hotel is fairly compact, however it still has plenty of luxury amenities to keep guests occupied. The basement is home to a spa, offering a range of treatments and a hammam. There's also a private beach club, which the hotel staff are happy to arrange complimentary transfers to.
However as I was only there for one night, I forego these in favour of sunning myself in the charming garden terrace space. Sun beds are set up around an elegant tiled pool, with a chic pool bar tucked away in a cosy corner. It's also set up for alfresco dining, and I enjoyed breakfast and dinner on the terrace. A secluded oasis under the Cote d'Azur sun, the garden truly is the star of the hotel.
Rooms and Suites
Airelles Pan Deï Palais has just 12 rooms and suites, ranging from a superior room to the palatial Tropezian Suite. I stayed with my partner in one of the Garden Junior Suites. We were greeted by a number of personalised touches, including wash bags and notepads. A lovely touch that really exemplifies the luxury experience.
Our suite looked out over the garden and pool, so we felt like we were right in the heart of the hotel. It was an ample space for two, even with our heaving suitcases. Similarly to the rest of the hotel it had plenty of Indian-inspired touches, including colourful framed prints and a vast ikat rug.
The room felt surprisingly homey for such a large space. There's a large wardrobe, table and chairs, as well as a desk and sofa. Plenty of sitting options! All the minibar snacks are complimentary, and also completely delicious.
The bathroom was equally spacious, with a large walk in shower and Airelles branded toiletries, which it took all my willpower not to shovel into my suitcase at the end of the stay, they smelled so good!
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Dining at Airelles Pan Deï Palais
For dinner, my partner and I dined at the hotel's restaurant Les Délices du Pan Deï. The menu is a set tasting menu designed to share, comprising of 3 appetizers, a "chef's surprise", 2 mains, and a dessert medley. My partner and I are fairly adventurous eaters and like to try a bit of everything, so this suited us well.
The menu is seasonal, with a focus on local produce accentuated with Indian flavours. I'm going to be honest, I was too busy digging in to make notes on everything we ate, but each and every dish was incredible. The presentation was particularly thoughtful, with considered colour schemes and floral garnishes. Even a beef carpaccio, which is hardly the most aesthetic of dishes, was attractively presented in it's Airelles incarnation, paired with ceps for a flavour combination I had never experienced prior. A medley of beetroot was surprisingly moreish, and the beef main was perfectly cooked in a rich, indulgent sauce.
Priced at €135 excluding beverages, it's on the steep side but for a special evening, well worth it.
We also enjoyed breakfast out on the terrace the next morning. A continental selection of breads, pastries, fruits, cold cuts and cheeses are served as standard, alongside an a la carte menu. It included all the staples, and we tucked into avocado on toast and eggs benedict. Everything was simply done, well cooked and again, well presented. Portions aren't massive, but given all the additions it's more than enough to start your day off right.
The Airelles Pan Deï Palais Saint Tropez Review: Final Verdict
Despite it being such a brief stay, I was completely taken by the experience of staying at Airelles Pan Deï Palais Saint Tropez. Service was slick and personable from start to finish, with so many thoughtful touches that I truly felt well looked after throughout. There was always someone on hand to check in, from making a cocktail to organising transfers. The little details such as gifts at turndown, and a bottle of water and macarons on departing really cement the sense of a luxury experience.
Personally I'm drawn to design-led spaces, and found myself enchanted by the strong sense of story and character. The unique heritage of the property is beautifully illustrated, with elements of Indian and French style harmoniously blended together. Interior spaces are rife with design details, but the overall effect is surprisingly calm and comfortable. It could have so easily veered into a cold, costumey space, but instead it is warm and even homey.
Food is an experience at Airelles Pan Deï Palais, and I would definitely encourage dinner at the hotel. It was a wonderful feast - and so convenient to be able to pop straight upstairs afterwards, comatose from all the delicious things we'd consumed. Breakfast is a more low key affair, but still ample.
The standout of the whole experience, however, is the garden. Its charm lies in its sense of seclusion, despite being situated right in the heart of town. Sunning yourself beside the pool, surrounded by foliage and with a cocktail in hand, the Saint Tropez experience doesn't get much better.
Airelles Pan Deï Palais is open year round except for part of January and February, and prices start from €450 at time of writing.
I hope this Airelles Pan Deï Palais Saint Tropez Review has been helpful. If you have any questions feel free to drop me and email or DM, and do let me know your thoughts in the comments!
An Indian themed hotel sounds appealing. Would love to visit.