Maya Kachroo-Levine is the luxury and experiences editor at Travel + Leisure digital. She has previously edited at Departures, Expedia, Good, Medium, and The Balance, and written for LA Weekly, Time, The Atlantic, Marie Claire, and Refinery29, among others.
In the iconic film Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn famously said that "Paris is always a good idea." But Travel + Leisure readers know that the same can be said for the rest of the country's 18 regions — particularly the south of France. So, it's perhaps unsurprising that three of the five top resorts in France are in le Midi. In fact, the No. 1, No. 3, and No. 4 hotels are all in Provence.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
While the No. 1 hotel is just north of Aix-en-Provence, offering an inland Provençal escape, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc (No. 3) and Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel (No. 4) are both along the Mediterranean coast. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, which was described by one reader as a "fairytale place," shimmied up from the No. 5 spot last year. "We never left the property during our stay," raved another fan of the 119-room hotel in Cap d'Antibes, who also touted the "huge, beautiful rooms" and "great service and wonderful views." Recently, the Oetker Collection property debuted the private Villa Sainte-Anne, with its own pool and views of the Mediterranean.
Moving north, both on the list and within the country, Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa made its World’s Best Awards debut this year, nabbing the No. 2 spot. The 47-room hotel in Champillon, outfitted with an idyllic spa executed in partnership with Biologique Recherche, is the sister hotel of Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, which was named one of the best resorts in the Caribbean last year. Finally, Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, a World’s Best Awards regular, continued to enchant T+L readers, landing at No. 5 this year.
Read on to learn more about the best resort hotels in France and why Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa took gold this year.
Coquillade has mesmerized travelers since it opened in 2008 with its incomparable scenery (think: a lounger-lined pool gazing out toward meticulously trimmed gardens and verdant Luberon hills). The "unbelievably charming" hotel, as one reader succinctly put it, sets an inviting scene with its vineyards and olive groves. The spa is outfitted with a hammam, ice fountain, and 11 cabins where guests can enjoy restorative treatments that use Tata Harper and Biologique Recherche products. Its three restaurants, winery, and bike center also keep guests coming back. Another respondent, who regretted not staying at Coquillade longer, said, "The pool offered a sumptuous retreat and the winery on property was a welcome respite during our days of sightseeing the nearby lavender fields and historic villages."
Score: 97.82
More information: coquillade.fr
Score: 97.50
More information: royalchampagne.com
Score: 94.67
More information: oetkercollection.com
Score: 94.34
More information: fourseasons.com
Score: 93.87
More information: waldorfastoria.com
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