Category: Europe - France - Industry economy
- Hotel opening
Article written by Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine on 2024-07-15
 The Q Bar is a hub of the Hôtel AREV St.Tropez
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
It was in the heart of Saint-Tropez, just a stone's throw from the famous Place des Lices, that we were able to discover the latest luxury hotel on the peninsula. Designed as a mini-village, the Arev St.Tropez hotel is an oasis of tranquillity for guests seeking authenticity. Despite its city-centre location, Arev St.Tropez enjoys a green and soothing setting. Journal des Palaces met Alexandre Lebrat, Global Director of Sales & Marketing of Arev Collection, for an exclusive tour of this new player in the French Riviera's hotel industry.Local design, top-class facilitiesIn March 2024, on the site of the former Lou Troupelen hotel, the city's newcomer was born. Once past the entrance gate along the Chemin des Vendanges, visitors are immersed in the tropezian atmosphere: Mehari car and electric bicycles for the codes of local life, and gardens designed by landscape architect Jesús Ibáñez for the Provençal setting. The new building was conceived by local architect François Viellecroze. The result is a property whose style echoes that of the traditional villas that populate the village, while the interior design, by Luis Bustamante, brings a vibrant contemporary touch to the whole.
Every space, from bedrooms to public areas, has been carefully designed to reflect the sunny character of Saint-Tropez. A true Arev signature, the duality of blue and red appeals as much to regular visitors to the peninsula as it does to Americans, whose patriotism is flattered. In truth, these bright colours have a strong local resonance: blue, for the azure of the Riviera and the city's coat of arms, and red, the other emblematic colour of the village, reminiscent of local institutions such as Café Sénéquier and Tarte Tropézienne.
The hotel's 24 rooms and suites, ranging in size from 23 to 65 m², each offer a unique design, some with private gardens. The luxury of the rooms is further enhanced by the choice of equipment and materials, such as the goose-down duvets and 500-thread-count Garnier-Thiebaut bed linen, or the Toto toilets. In addition, the guest experience, which is at the heart of the design, is based in particular on attention to the smallest detail, such as the simplified use of lighting switches in the rooms, which often become a headache for guests.
While Arev offers ten types of rooms and suites, the 45 m² Suite Arev Villa, with its own entrance and private garden, completes the range to appeal to guests looking for greater discretion and exclusivity.Awakening the senses, from spa to gastronomyArev St.Tropez has also been designed as a destination where guests' senses are aroused, from the bouquets of scents emanating from the gardens, to the aromas of the culinary offerings, via the signature fragrances of the spa.
And the tribute to Saint-Tropez remains the common thread running through this 360° experience. At The Strand restaurant, chef Rocco Seminara, his partner Manon Santini, and Arev executive chef François-Laurent Apchié are reviving the tropezian institution. This talented team is reinventing Mediterranean flavours with a focus on local ingredients. The restaurant's menu includes emblematic gourmet dishes such as Mediterranean tuna served on a crispy saffron “riso”.
The Q Bar, meanwhile, offers a sophisticated cocktail menu and a selection of cigars, while the Pool Bar, inspired by the Hamptons style, adapts to the heat of the tropics, favouring ice-cold cocktails. The Place des Oliviers, created as a nod to the Place des Lices, with its retro foodtruck, offers a relaxed atmosphere for a coffee before a shopping spree in one of the two designer boutiques created on the square.
The sensory experience continues at the Spa Arev x Maison S.T., which offers treatments by this tropezian company, which originally specialized in the creation of candles and home fragrances, and which has now signed up for its first spa, with treatments using salt from the Mediterranean Sea or tropezian herbs. The spa also features two steam rooms and a gym equipped with the latest technology, including Peloton bikes. A padel court, located on the estate, completes the resort atmosphere.A personalized service philosophyAlongside this rich offering, Alexandre Lebrat touched on a key point in Arev's success. “Every detail counts in creating 'wow' moments for our guests,” he explains. “For example, a housekeeper noticed that a guest's toothpaste had run out, so she replaced it with an identical toothpaste accompanied by a personalized note, which surprised the guest, creating a 'wow' effect”. This attention to detail is also reflected in interactions with guests, as on one occasion, when an elderly lady, regretting that she could no longer send letters to her loved ones, discovered an arrangement of postcards in her room.
In line with this desire to create more emotion and provide a personalized service, hotel jobs are multi-skilled, with roles such as 'welcomer' combining the functions of valet and porter, and 'hostess' acting as receptionist, booking agent and concierge. According to Alexandre Lebrat, the aim of this organization is to minimize the number of people guests have to deal with, guaranteeing a smooth, personalized experience from the beginning to the end of their stay.
This meticulous organization is the daily work of a team well-versed in the uniqueness of Saint-Tropez and of luxury hospitality. The hotel's general manager, Candice Barwell Nassar, joins from Hotel du Palais, the iconic palace in Biarritz, while Alexandre Lebrat himself formerly worked at La Réserve Ramatuelle. Rocco Seminara, who orchestrated the entire culinary experience, has worked at the Byblos, recently founded the Zia brand and, above all, is the Corporate Executive Chef of the Bagatelle group, from which the hotel's Executive Chef, François-Laurent Apchié, also hails. Combine all these skills with the owner's experience and demands as a luxury hotel guest, and you get a dream of luxury sprinkled with festivity and authenticity. A vision and plans for the futureWhile the launch has already been a great success, this first year is a real challenge for the team. To ensure the company's success on the market, particularly with a target group of American guests, Alexandre Lebrat told us that the property, which is already listed with the luxury agencies Serandipians and Internova, plans to work with American Express and Virtuoso soon.
Buoyed by its first hotel, the Arev brand is dreaming big. The ambition is clear: to redefine modern luxury by celebrating the art of living in each destination. While Alexandre Lebrat's confidences allow us to foresee the development of Arev hotels in destinations with such a festive atmosphere as Saint-Tropez, the Global Director of Sales & Marketing also revealed that the hotel plans to add new suites and rooms in the years to come, further reinforcing the tropezian village atmosphere so prized by its guests. A first building with ten suites, already under construction, will be delivered next year, while a new structure with nine rooms will open in 2026, bringing the total number of rooms and suites at Arev St.Tropez to 43. On the other hand, the hotel, one of the few on the peninsula to remain open all year round, has reduced its allotment to 17 rooms open during the winter season.
With its village-within-a-village feel, Mediterranean garden, uniforms reminiscent of the beaches of Pampelonne, and festive Tropezian ambience sprinkled with touches of the Hamptons, Arev St.Tropez strives to create unforgettable moments for a discerning clientele accustomed to the standards of the greatest palaces, such as Airelles, Cheval Blanc or La Réserve Ramatuelle. The tropezian village of die-hard hoteliers is determined to establish itself as a key player in the luxury hotel landscape of the corsair town.
 The pool area, reminiscent of a Hamptons property, is the hotel's other trump card
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 The façade of AREV St.Tropez is reminiscent of many of the villas in the Saint Tropez area
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 From the moment they arrive, travellers are immersed in the local atmosphere
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine / Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 In the lobby, travellers are projected into a world imagined by Luis Bustamente
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 Each space has been designed by Luis Bustamente to allow guests to relax in a stimulating environment
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 The bar and restaurant are in perfect harmony with the AREV St.Tropez entrance
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine / Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 There are many nods to the legend of Saint-Tropez, including the colour red, and here, in the heart of the restaurant, a model of Riva
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 The menu at The Strand restaurant has been designed by chef Rocco Seminara, his partner Manon Santini, and the executive chef of Arev St.Tropez, François-Laurent Apchié
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 The hotel's 24 rooms and suites range in size from 23 to 45 m²
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 All feature a unique design and luxurious equipment
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 Some suites, such as the Arev Suite, have a spacious terrace so you can enjoy the Tropezian sunshine in the privacy of your own room
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 Sustainability is also a key focus, with local products chosen for the restaurant, a local brand for the spa, and awareness-raising campaigns for guests in their rooms
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 Maison S.T. signs its first spa at Arev St.Tropez
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 One of the cabins in the Arev St.Tropez x Maison S.T. spa
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine / Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 The fitness area includes Peloton bikes for spinning enthusiasts
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
 The spa allows customers to discover the full range of Maison S.T. fragrances
Photo credit © Vanessa Guerrier-Buisine
 The Place des Oliviers, with its retro food-truck, plays the nostalgia card
Photo credit © AREV St.Tropez
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