Lingering in the lap of luxury, Delphine Stefens was a guest of Pan Deï Palais, a hotel with an Asian influence at the heart of St Tropez village
Cross the threshold at 52 Rue Gambetta and trade the legendary bustle of St Tropez port for the enchanted world of Pan Deï Palais, built in 1935 by a besotted French general for his wife, a Punjabi princess. An oasis of calm, it became a hotel in 2006 and joined the Relais & Châteaux family in 2011. Open all year round, there are twelve bedrooms and suites and probably three times that many staff prepared to pander to every whim.
A typical day at the Pan Deï starts with breakfast, served until noon, poolside if weather permits, the mosaic-lined pool set in a beautiful patio garden with palm and cedar trees. Linger in the sun on a deckchair or take a nap in the shade of a four-poster. Hotel guests may also lunch by the pool – try homemade duck foie gras and beef tartar with summer truffles. Alternatively, the friendly receptionists will readily help guests organize a day on the beach, providing transport, a beach bag and towel.
After too much sun or simply a desire to be pampered, the Pan Deï spa, in collaboration with Valmont beauty and skin care specialists, offers an exclusive after-sun treatment – the “Princess Pan Deï.”
In the evening, the hotel is open to non-residents for drinks and dinner. The atmosphere is elegant yet relaxed, and a tasting menu perfectly illustrates the restaurant’s world cuisine approach. A la carte, the ravioli stuffed with truffles and celery turnip and the mille-feuilles lobster ravioli with langoustine coulis make for a light yet delicious meal.
For those wishing to experience St Tropez life to the full, the hotel offers use of its 31 metre motor yacht, moored at the port, which comes with four cabins, two salons, and a crew of five – ready to whisk visitors across the waves to wherever they would like to go.
Bottom line: classic room starting at €195 per night, breakfast (€32 per person) not included; Tasting Menu (three courses) €90 excluding drinks.
Pan Deï Palais 52 Rue Gambetta 83990 St Tropez, France T.+33 (0)4 94 17 71 71 www.relaischateaux.com www.pandei.com
