St.-Tropez: Where to Stay: Boutique: La Mistralée

La Mistralée

Close to the harbor, this ten-room hotel is located in an unassuming 19th-century villa. Once inside you feel like you’ve entered a movie set. The style of Alexandre de Paris, the celebrity hairdresser and former owner, prevails in the explosive colors, frescoes, mosaics and whimsical jumble of decors. The themed guest rooms include the powder-pink Chanel, with boudoir-style furnishings; and Tarzan, featuring a mosquito net over the bed and a plum-tiled bathroom with elaborate frescoes of jungle scenes. Less colorful is the restful suite by the pool and the garden. Tons of fashion people stay here, and the hotel provides a speed boat shuttle service to the beaches of Pampelonne. But if borderline kitsch is not your thing, consider coming here for an aperitif at the 19th-century English glass conservatory or dinner at the restaurant, situated at the end of a palm-lined allée.

TIP: If you need a place to cool off between shopping sprees, reserve a table for lunch, when non-guests are permitted to dip in the pool (if the twenty pool lounge chairs are not already taken by guests). Rooms from $620.