In the hills above the pretty village of Vence, amid the warm cypress and cicada song drifting on the breeze, Château Saint-Martin & Spa claims the best patch of hillside. Once a site guarded by Roman sentries and then fortified by the Knights Templar, a stretch of old wall, a chapel and part of the drawbridge still stand in the gardens today. Today, the hotel is lighter and brighter but still undeniably French (undeniably Provençal, in fact) and the chateau-style building is one-of-a-kind. Surrounded by acres of natural beauty, it's a wonderful place to just be for a few days, Cannes one way, Nice the other, and olive groves tumbling down in between.
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Full of cypress and olive trees and a beds of beautiful flowers that grace the lobby daily, the gardens are spectacular. In fact, the hotel presses its own olive oil from the trees every autumn. The infinity pool is surrounded by more of the same, water and the Mediterranean beyond blurring into one blue plane, and there's also tennis and pickleball courts and a state-of-the-art gym if you're feeling active. For eating and drinking, there's Le Saint Martin for refined French classics and views of the sea; alfresco L’Oliveraie for something casual in summer; a pool bar; and an elegant indoor cocktail bar.
There are 47 rooms and suites in the main buildings, all dressed in soft, sun-bleached Provençal tones and most with a balcony angled at the sea or the garden below. The suites carved into the hillside are the most private of the lot. In a newer building, just to one side and accessible by golf cart, are the six private villas with one, two or three bedrooms. All have a dedicated butler and, on request in the latter two, a private chef – it's closer to renting a small stone farmhouse than booking a hotel room.
Start with tennis or pickleball before the heat sets in, then make your way indoors to the La Prairie Spa, or book a private tasting in the cellar. Head out for the afternoon and you're ten minutes from Saint-Paul-de-Vence's galleries or the Matisse-designed windows at the Chapelle du Rosaire. The beach-inclined can take the hotel shuttle down to the private club on Cap d'Antibes, while others can just as easily stay put and watch the light change over the Mediterranean instead.
The cool air in August. While the coast swelters, you're among the olives with a gentle breeze drifting through - and a rather good view, too.
Book dinner on Le Saint-Martin's terrace as the sun drops into the sea, Nice glinting one way and Cannes the other.
You might be able to see the sea, but it takes 30 minutes to actually drive there. The pool does the trick for cooling off in the meantime.
Château Saint-Martin & Spa can be booked with Timbuktu as part of a tailor-made France trip, rather than as a standalone room reservation. Start online, customising one of our recommended France trips featuring Château Saint-Martin & Spa or get advice and suggestions from one of our France specialists who will design the trip around your dates, check availability and handle every booking for you.
Stays at Château Saint-Martin & Spa start from around $250, or US$250, per person per night as part of a tailor-made trip. The exact price depends on your travel dates, room type and the shape of the rest of your itinerary. A Timbuktu travel specialist can give you an accurate quote for your dates.
Set apart from the beach busyness of the Riviera, these cobbled hilltop towns are like stepping into a painting.
