Benkirai Hotel

Well outside of the buzz in central Saint-Tropez, this hotel is a design-conscious place for those wanting to really unplug while staying in the Cote d'Azur. The hotel is housed in two-story Provencal-style buildings surrounding an outdoor pool and terrace. Stone walkways wind through beautiful flowers, trees, and greenery that grow throughout property. Lounge chairs and a couple of daybeds are available for guests to use while relaxing in the garden. Inside, the lobby is modern and spare, with a long wooden table serving as the reception desk. The bar and restaurant are adjacent, and make a fine place to unwind with a cocktail amid the contemporary, minimalist vibe. The atmosphere is relaxing and peaceful, with little more than soft music to be heard around the pool during the day. The hotel is most popular with couples and small groups, and the scarcity of families mean that there's no kids disrupting the quiet.

This hotel is situated in the middle of gardens surrounded by fields and vineyards -- in other words, there's nothing else nearby to disrupt the peace and quiet. However, that means that there's little to do within an easy walk. The narrow two-way road leading to the hotel is lined some houses and other hotels, but development is minimal nearby. Ambitious guests can walk to the center of Saint-Tropez in about 30 minutes and to the beach in about 15 minutes. Otherwise, it's a 10-minute free shuttle ride to town (the shuttle also goes to the beaches). Toulon-Hyeres Airport -- the closest major option -- will take about an hour to reach by car. It's a 90-minute drive to Cannes from here.

Chic, contemporary rooms are dressed mostly in white with vibrant blue bathrooms that are essentially part of the rooms, with their open floor plans. Furniture, bed linens, drapery, and even TVs are all white, with pale gray bed toppers and headboard offering the only other hue in the rooms. A bit of geometric art hangs on the walls, but otherwise the look is stark and won't be to everyone's liking. Amenities include flat-screen TVs, DVD and CD players, minibars, and safes. Big round mirrors separate the white bedrooms from the bright blue bathrooms, but toilets are in their own separate cubicle. Bathrooms are stocked with magnifying mirrors, toiletries, hairdryers, and glass rainfall showers. Robes and slippers are provided. French doors open to furnished balconies or terraces, with views of the pool, gardens, or rooftops. Suites add sitting areas with sofas and soaking tubs in addition to showers in the bath. 

Features aren't numerous here, but generally there's enough on offer to keep travelers happy for a few days. Even so, some of the missing extras -- like a fitness center or proper spa -- are surprising. Breakfast is available each morning for a fee. For lunch, the restaurant offers traditional French fare and switches to gourmet Thai cuisine in the evening. The setting is trendy and contemporary, with white tablecloths and chairs, concrete floors, and industrial-style lighting overhead. An alfresco poolside terrace also makes for a lovely dining setting. The hotel's outdoor pool is surrounded by a wooden deck and tall palm trees all around. Rows of lounge chairs and umbrellas flank the water. The pool is lined in the same shade of vivid blue found in the bathrooms, as are the towels on the lounge chairs. A pool bar provides drinks and snacks. Massage services are available in a tent on the grassy lawn by the pool, though for nightly rates like this we would have liked to see something more formal for spa treatments. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.