Escape to Arev Saint Tropez, an Ethereal Boutique Hotel

A newly launched hospitality brand has an inviting moniker. It’s Arev, and it’s derived from the French word for dream. Indeed, the debut property, Arev Saint Tropez, which opened March 15 in the south of France, is certainly swoon-worthy. Local firm François Vieillecroze Architecte and Madrileños Luis Bustamante Interiors and Jesús Ibáñez Paisajismo have dreamt up an experience that is not only quintessentially French Riviera but also feels like an exquisite private estate. A tree-lined drive leads past manicured gardens to six compact buildings, their facades, in a plaster color appropriately named Provencal Crème, fronted by pale-blue shutters and capped by Mediterranean-style terra-cotta roofs. Inside, the spirit of Saint-Tropez is captured in a palette of blue, white, beige, and red, often rendered in nautical stripes, a nod to the region’s yachting DNA. Luis Bustamante outfitted the 43 guest rooms and suites in pristine custom furnishings and vivid patterns ranging from toiles and florals to more stripes. Rounding out the hotel is a spa, a revival of the legendary Strand Restaurant and Champagne Lounge, and a glittering sundeck, its pool bottom spelling out “a rêve in the sun.”