Les Roches Rouges, Saint-Raphaël: a new suite is this hotspot’s crowning glory

Even if you haven’t heard of Les Roches Rouges, you’ve probably seen it. It’s very Slim Aarons: a Sixties sugar cube of a hotel on a stony stretch of France’s Côte d’Azur with a 30-metre saltwater pool carved out of the rocks just above the glittering Mediterranean. Perhaps because it’s so good-looking, it’s become a hotspot for a certain kind of sceney, Instagram-savvy traveller. But it’s far from all style and no substance; in fact, it’s completely charming. The Rooms Les Roches Rouges has been a hotel for decades, but it’s now part of the Beaumier hotel group, which is also behind gems like Petunia in Ibiza and Le Fitz Roy in Val Thorens. Beaumier has imparted its distinctive brand of stylishly refined interiors to the 45 rooms, plus the 25 that were added last year in a new block built in a similar style to the original. The new Riviera Suite at Les Roches RougesBeaumier/Matthieu SalvaingEach is a masterclass in modern coastal living: polished concrete floors, white walls, natural fibres and furnishings, flashes of the egg-yolk yellow that has become the hotel’s signature. Each room has a balcony set with two ochre-toned deck chairs, which come into their own when spectacular ombré sunsets begin to fill the sky. All this has reached its apex in the hotel’s newly unveiled Riviera Suite, an expansive, sculptural space with two bedrooms and a vast private terrace with a plunge pool. But in truth, it doesn’t really matter which room you have here. The entire hotel exudes a salt-sprayed, breezy ease that lends itself perfectly to languid days flitting from sea pool to sea plunges, with palest rosé, a subtle soundtrack, and plucky staff to see you through. The crowd mostly consists of couples with a few pairs of friends in the mix, but is mercifully low on anyone who’s just there to get the money shot (or, if they are, they’re doing it subtly). The Food & DrinksEstelo, the seafront restaurant at Les Roches RougesBeaumierThere are two restaurants: the laidback La Chicoula, under the fragrant shade of la pinède (a pine grove), plus Estelo, a more formal offering on an expansive stone-paved seafront terrace. The former serves crowd-pleasing pizzas and abundant salads, making it an ideal spot for languid lunches between sunbathing sessions. Estelo serves breakfast but feels most special in the evenings, when generous glasses of champagne, glossy oysters and perfect sole menièure add to the Riviera glamour. Provençal flavours come through classic sides like ratatouille and cocktails garnished with lavender. Some dishes feel a little more rustic than some guests might expect from a hotel of this calibre, but others will see this as a strength. The ExtrasThoughtful – and free of charge – extras set this place apart. On occasional sun-drenched afternoons, an ice cream trolley ( that’s also used to keep rosé chilled) is wheeled out so guests can have their pick of melon sorbet and rich vanilla. Yoga and Pilates classes run in the mornings on a shaded deck, while paddle boards and sea kayaks are available for those who want to get out onto the sea and explore the magnificent coast line and russet coloured rocks that give the hotel its name. November StudioThe spa is a tasteful haven tucked away at the back of the hotel’s original building. A menu of Susanne Kaufmann treatments will tickle premium beauty lovers, as well as easing any muscle pains from over-exertion on a sea kayak. Everything can be arranged for you via the extremely efficient concierge team, who are on hand whenever you need them via WhatsApp. This does make the return to normal life particularly difficult, but at least you’ll have the memories of some very bonnes vacances to tide you over until next year. And some great photos for Instagram, if you’re that way inclined.