Renowned for its legendary celebrity parties as one of Saint-Tropez’s most fashionable places to stay, Hotel Byblos now has one of the region’s best wellness offerings too, earning its place as CF’s July Spa of the Month.
Ideal for busy businesswomen facing burnout, stress, and general fatigue – a stay at Hotel Byblos now ensures you leave feeling refreshed, and having got to know your body and mind a little better.
With personalised programmes delivered on a one-to-one basis, including yoga, breathwork, and tailored treatments in the fully Sisley-stocked spa, it’s a truly holistic wellness experience that means you don’t have to compromise. So, yes, there’s still room to dance the night away at the iconic on-site Les Caves du Roy too.
THE LOWDOWN
Hotel Byblos – and the private sun-drenched holidays you can have there – have been interwoven into the history of Saint-Tropez and the broader French Riviera since its inception in 1967. From its nightclub where the Beatles famously partied, to the Missoni suite that played host to the pinnacle of Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez’s wedding celebrations – international royalty, movie stars, and rock idols have all called the hotel home at some point.
Built as a self-contained Provence-style village – which infuses the surroundings with a sense of cosy charm – the hotel revolves around a paved square, flanked by houses of different shapes and sizes and is dotted with balconies, fountains, and a large olive tree. Touches of Greek mythology and mosaics abound, including the entranceway’s depiction of Zeus, while al-fresco restaurants overlap and overlook the central pool.
Down winding open-air passageways, you’ll discover more rooms and the famous Les Caves du Roy nightclub, but it’s the expansive spa, tucked away up a slope to one side, where a new-found focus has fallen.
Beyond the impressively vast selection of Sisley spa treatments, there’s now a fully tailored wellness programme to experience, overseen by leading healer Marion M’Santi. The unique combination of wellbeing therapies: meditation and breathwork; detail-orientated meal plans; and mind-alternating facial and body experiences means Hotel Byblos now allows you to work hard and play hard – but most importantly, to recharge hard too.
THE SPA
It’s testament to the cocooning atmosphere of the newly refurbished Hotel Byblos spa that even the stress of a significant flight delay was almost completely forgotten once inside. Launched as Sisley’s first ever spa in 2007, the space has been redesigned with subdued lighting and soothing dusky pink, grey, blue and cream hues, as well as a tweaked layout that encourages busy minds to relax upon entry.
You start your journey by slipping into a fluffy dressing gown in the changing rooms, before spending time enjoying the upgraded Turkish bath experience: the perfect way to prep your mind and body pre-massage or facial. The little rooms, lined up side-by-side, offer a sauna, steam room and a new ‘Waterfall Room’ concept where, through the power of water, lights and music, you can enjoy sensory showers before reclining in the new indoor or olive-lined outdoor relaxing areas. Fresh hot and cold tea is in constant supply here so it’s worth a visit post-treatment too, although you are not sealed away from foot traffic, albeit minimal.
Suitably treatment ready you’ll pass the open-air yoga studio – where classes are offered on a unique mosaic-covered floor designed by acclaimed ceramist Roger Capron – to discover the five treatment rooms, each with Sisley-stocked shelves. There’s also the Salon Libanais, a couple’s treatment room containing 17th-century marquetry panels transported from a Lebanese palace.
Our recommendation: the exclusive, newly-launched signature massages designed by local expert Alain Bibard. These include the ‘Holi Ga’ Massage that combines five leading techniques (Chi Nei Tsang, Shi Atsu, Reflexology, Meridian and Ko Bi Do) into one luxurious treatment. Better yet, book in for a facial and massage back-to-back, so as not to break the magical spell of your treatment.
THE WELLNESS RETREAT
With the launch of the newly-designed spa comes a programme of wellness rituals, workshops and treatments, which take your spa experience beyond anything else you can currently experience in Saint-Tropez.
Unlike many wellness programmes where you fit into a fixed schedule of therapies, the “Epic Journeys” at Byblos are completely tailored towards you – so you can actually feel the long-lasting benefits. Designed as one-day, experiential retreats, the process starts with a one-to-one appointment with a wellness expert to evaluate your needs, such as stress-management, burnout-relief or general recuperation. Then they’ll design your perfect itinerary, which includes a facial or massage, bespoke lunch plan and an “Inner Consciousness” treatment. It’s designed to help you reconnect and ground yourself, away from the busyness of your day-to-day life. These sessions could include morning and afternoon yoga classes, meditation, and guided relaxation.
For those looking to take their experience one step further, this summer there’s the “Byblos Constellations” group workshops. From shamanism and sound healing, to breathwork and reiki, these special sessions allow you to reset your mind with new intentions. A particular highlight is ‘Human Design’, where analysis of your birth time and date, as well as a talking therapy session, helps you examine why you react to stress and other challenges the way you do. It’s the reason the hotel can proudly say it has a spa for your mind as well as your body.
THE ROOMS
Hotel Byblos has French Palace status, reflecting its distinction as one of the country’s top hotels, and you can see it in the attention to detail in all 87 bedrooms, including the 47 suites. Rooms are spacious but cosy, individually styled, and infused with a homely charm. Whether you choose a room that overlooks the pool or quieter courtyards, light sparkles in from large windows, beckoning you out of a soft, sinking mattress onto charming balconies or patios in the early morning.
There are all the required modern touches for a leading hotel too; televisions, coffee machines, and a fully-kitted bathroom including mini Sisley amenities, so you can travel hand luggage-only with ease. With handmade designer-stamped drapes, bedspreads and furniture upholstery made in the nearby workshops of Marseille, rooms here feel like a home-away-from-home, without losing the magic of being in the heart of Saint-Tropez.
THE DINING
Healthy yet joy-inspiring food is on the menu at Byblos, meaning your wellness retreat leaves you feeling suitably full and satisfied, not hungry. Start your morning with breakfast classics including hearty poached eggs on toast or a copious spread of bread, cheese and yoghurt from the buffet after a lie-in. Service is always delivered with a smile, with waiters who remember you not just from yesterday’s breakfast, but your previous stay. Don’t be surprised if your coffee order arrives just as you do.
At Arcadia (for lunch) and Cucina (for dinner), chefs Nicola Canuti and Alain Ducasse provide a feast for the eyes and senses, inspired by the French and Italian Rivieras. Ingredients are sourced from the site’s vegetable garden where possible, and in partnership with local producers from the Côte d’Azur region.
The result is memorable juicy salads topped with seasonal vegetables and fresh fish, and generously-topped pizzas straight out of the oven – all served on hand-illustrated crockery. The pool-side restaurant Jardin d’Arcadia takes you on an ‘Epic Journey’ at lunchtime as part of your wellness package, with meals specifically designed to boost immunity and energy – without having to give up on little luxuries like a glass of wine.
At the end of the day, grab a drink at Le ‘B’ Lounge, recently named one of the most popular bars on the French Riviera. As the sun goes down, you’ll be joined by some of the region’s most dazzling stars for a full array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails.
THE LITTLE EXTRAS
Even on a wellness retreat, a stay at Hotel Byblos isn’t quite complete without a visit to Les Caves du Roy – after all true wellbeing is all about balance. Located within the hotel complex, this iconic club is close enough to your room to allow you to pop in for a short time (without being loud enough to keep you awake), or to allow you to dance until the early hours, guilt free.
THE TO-DO LIST
The Saint-Tropez highlights are all on your doorstep, including free ten-minute transfers to Pampelonne Beach, where you’ll find Byblos Beach Ramatuelle. Comprising a restaurant, bar and sun lounging area, here you can enjoy a walk on the sand, a dip in the sea, a plate of freshly-caught seafood, and a cold glass of rosé throughout the day. It’s an experience which, alongside some celebrity spotting, soothes away all remaining body tension before you return home. Pampelonne beach is also home to a Gucci and a Dolce & Gabbana beach club collaboration this summer, both are well worth visiting.
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