La Bastide

Think of La Bastide as a private Provençal hamlet rather than a conventional hotel: two bastides set among vineyard grounds, with terraces, gardens and heated pools shaping the stay. It suits a couple wanting its own space, a family holiday, or a larger group taking the whole estate together.

The atmosphere is built around outdoor living rather than a packed programme. You have landscaped gardens, olive groves, lavender and boules, while each bastide brings its own pool and outdoor areas. Pets are welcome, families are welcome, and the team can assist in English, Italian and French.

The property sits in Plan-de-la-Tour, in the Var, among vineyards and close to the village. Shops and the village centre are about a 10-minute walk away, which is useful when you want to leave the car behind for a while rather than turn every small errand into an expedition.

The nearest beach is around a 15-minute drive away, while Port Grimaud and Sainte-Maxime are within the same driving range. Saint-Tropez is about 25 minutes by car, and Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is roughly an hour away. The Palais des Festivals, the Castre Museum and the Museum of the Sea are also listed among the nearby places to visit.

This is villa accommodation, so the useful question is not which standard room to book but how much of the property you want to make your own. Each bastide has three en-suite bedrooms, private outdoor space and its own heated pool; taking both creates a larger arrangement for families, several couples or a group travelling together.

The Bergerie has panoramic vineyard views, a large covered terrace and a pool with a shallow section. The Provençal Villa brings three terraces, including covered areas and views towards its heated salt-water pool. Both have air conditioning, while the Pool House does not, so that detail is worth keeping in mind when deciding who sleeps where.

For the practical end of the day, the villas include kitchens, outdoor cooking areas, drinks fridges, linen and pool towels. There is also a welcome bottle of wine, and the terraces give you somewhere to eat outside instead of having to sit indoors every evening.

The hotel restaurant works with local cuisine, giving you an on-site option when you would rather not head back into the village. A restaurant is available.

The villas are equally set up for feeding yourselves. The Bergerie has an outdoor kitchen with a gas barbecue and drinks fridge, while the Provençal Villa has an outdoor kitchen with both gas and charcoal barbecues. Covered terraces make those facilities useful beyond a quick lunch in the sun: you can settle in for a proper evening meal without turning the kitchen into a second job.

Two heated outdoor pools give the non-diving day an easy rhythm. One is a heated pool with a shallow section, while the other is heated salt water; both villas also have sun loungers, so you can read, doze or simply remain horizontal without needing a timetable.

The grounds cover five private acres, with landscaped gardens, vineyard views, olive groves and lavender. Boules adds a suitably unhurried option for the late afternoon, particularly when the alternative is another round of arguments about where to go for dinner.

There is room here for a full day outdoors without a formal activity schedule. Families can use the gardens and shallow pool area, while couples have terraces and quieter corners in which to spend the day at their own pace.

Check-in runs from 16:30 to 22:00, with check-out by 10:00. Reception is open around the clock, Wi-Fi is available, and free parking is provided. The parking information includes an exception for non-four-wheel-drive vehicles, so the car you bring matters.

An airport transfer can be arranged on request. The drive from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport takes about an hour. An accessible lift reaches the upper floors, and the property welcomes pets. A conference room, currency exchange and newspapers are also available for guests who need more than a pool, a terrace and a reason to ignore their inbox.

You will need to provide your expected arrival time, photo identification and a credit card at check-in. A rental agreement must be signed and returned before arrival, and a refundable damage deposit is collected through PayPal. Pool heating can be requested between April and October and may carry an additional charge.