Fodor's Expert Review Cheval Blanc St-Tropez

Perhaps the most opulent of St-Tropez's luxe hangouts, La Résidence de La Pinède—with its balustraded white villa built in 1936—recently became Cheval Blanc St-Tropez, a LVMH property. It’s still the only hotel where you can dip your feet right into the sea from a private waterfront, but French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte refreshed the interiors, with the predominant theme being bathing light. The Guerlain Spa (featuring a snow shower) transforms you with the Glamor Saint-Tropez: three experts provide a facial or body treatment, pedicure, manicure, hair styling, and a beauty makeover in just 90 minutes, leaving more time to linger over dinner at Chef Arnaud Donckele’s three-Michelin-star restaurant, Vague d'Or (set menu from €295). You're already dropping some serious cash here, so it's worth it to pay extra for a seaside room where you can lean over the balcony and take in the coastal views.