Review – We Check in to Lily of the Valley Hotel, La Croix-Valmer, France

There are certain places that seem to make your shoulders drop the moment you arrive. Lily of the Valley is one of them. Hidden among an abundance of umbrella pines in La Croix-Valmer, just ten minutes from the glamour of Saint-Tropez, this is a retreat that feels tranquil in the truest sense of the word.

Overview

Set high on a verdant hillside within the protected Cap Lardier estate, Hotel Lily of the Valley looks out across the Mediterranean, with sweeping views of the French Riviera below. Despite its enviable location, this hotel is not about scene or spectacle. It is about year-round serenity, wellbeing and understated luxury.

The architecture, by design wizard Philippe Starck, blends seamlessly into the landscape: sandstone-toned buildings cascade down the hillside, softened by greenery, wild herbs and flowering shrubs. It is one of the prettiest hotels I have visited in years — elegant, organic and entirely in harmony with its setting.

As evening falls, the atmosphere becomes almost cinematic. The light softens over the sea, cicadas hum from the hills, and the air carries the scent of warm pine and rosemary. It’s incredibly peaceful.

The Shape Club

Halfway down the hillside lies the hotel’s wellness hub: The Shape Club. More than a spa, it is a substantial health and fitness destination in its own right. Designed in the same refined style as the hotel and covering 2,000 m², the space brings together facilities for sport, nutrition, therapeutic and aesthetic treatments.

The bright reception area doubles as a boutique, stocked with activewear, supplements, beauty and wellness products. Beyond it lies an impressive range of facilities: a heated semi-Olympic lap pool, Finnish sauna, hammam, ice room, cryotherapy chamber, and a Technogym-equipped fitness studio, reformer Pilates studio and yoga space.

Seven treatment rooms and a relaxation lounge overlook perfectly preened gardens, while the beauty salon offers finishing touches for those looking to combine health goals with a touch of Riviera polish.

The treatment menu is as extensive as it is impressive, featuring all the expected beauty essentials alongside holistic wraps and massages, medical-grade facials and body contouring, as well as TCM and Ayurveda.

If you are feeling peckish between treatments, there’s a poolside café serving juices, herbal teas, mocktails and healthy snacks.

The Programme

Lily of the Valley offers four core wellness programmes: Weight Loss, Sport, Better Ageing and Detox. All can be tailored across four, seven, ten or fourteen days.

Having recently turned 57, I opted for the Better Ageing programme — a restorative reset designed to support vitality and longevity. On check-in, I was given a run-through of my programme inclusions, followed by a health assessment including a body composition analysis, a nutritional consultation and a Kinvent fitness and balance evaluation. The process provided a snapshot of where I was physically and where improvements (of which there were many!) could be made…

My four-day schedule included daily swims, yoga, personal training sessions and a floating sound bath meditation. There’s also the option to join a wide range of daily group classes including reformer Pilates, sculpt sessions, hikes, mountain biking and an array of water sports (in the summer months).

My standout experience, however, was the sea wading session led by coach Didier. A small group of us, dressed in wetsuits, sea boots and gloves, waded along the choppy Côte d’Azur shoreline in the early morning light before launching into aqua aerobics and Zumba in the sea. We danced, laughed, sang and emerged truly energised. It was joyful, invigorating and refreshingly unpretentious — and made me wish I lived by the sea.

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A generous total of two 60 minute treatments per day are included in the Better Ageing programme. My treatments included a Biologique Recherche skin analysis and facial, a Hydrafacial, lymphatic drainage, INDIBA body treatments, reflexology and acupuncture. My two-minute session in the cryotherapy chamber (one of my all-time favourite treatments) was a highlight. At -80°C, it is bracing, exhilarating and oddly addictive. My therapists and trainers — Lou, Alexane, Charlie and Joel — were excellent throughout: knowledgeable, warm and highly skilled.

To Eat

Chef Vincent Maillard, who trained under Alain Ducasse, heads up the Vista restaurant – while the nutritional concept for the wellness programmes was developed by French nutritionist Dr Jacques Fricker. Nutrition is taken seriously, but not joylessly. Menus are designed to align with each programme and individual goals, focusing on protein, hydration, fibre and antioxidants.

My Better Ageing programme followed a Mediterranean-inspired, reduced-carbohydrate approach – rich in protein, fibre and healthy fats. Having advised the team in advance that I am pescatarian and lactose-free, everything was seamlessly adapted.

Breakfast offered both sweet and savoury options: coconut yoghurt with seasonal fruit, homemade muesli, herb omelettes made with egg whites, or avocado with crudités. Lunches and dinners were impressive — generous plates that never felt “spa-worthy” in the punitive sense of the phrase. Dishes included lobster salad, poached sole with asparagus, and sea bass with fennel in a citrus sauce. Some plates even arrived with a flourish of caviar.

To Stay

Rooms are calm and quietly luxurious, with a subtle California-cool edge that suits the setting.

My sea-view garden room had an exceptionally comfortable bed and a bathroom so indulgent I briefly considered moving in permanently. There were three different shower experiences and a generous supply of Lily of the Valley’s own branded mandarin-scented products.

Outside, a private garden featured a double daybed, a dining area and enough space to practice yoga (mats are provided in every room). The minibar was stocked not with temptation, but with still, sparkling and flavoured waters. There are pillow menus, naturally, and turndown came with thoughtful gifts such as collagen shots and spa product samples.

Who Is It For?

Those seeking a gentle and sophisticated introduction to high-end wellness; guests who want measurable results without sacrificing comfort; and anyone craving a health reset in one of the most beautiful corners of southern France.

Editor’s Note

Despite missing my dog, my husband and some unexpectedly glorious weather back in the UK (in that order) — I found it remarkably hard to leave this glorious retreat. I departed feeling physically and mentally lighter, brighter and unmistakably happier.

Merci beaucoup, Lily of the Valley. Je reviendrai.

Getting There

Address: Boulevard Abel Faivre, La Croix-Valmer, France

Nearest Airports: Hotel Lily of the Valley is around 90 minutes by car from Nice International Airport or 50 minutes from Toulon-Hyères Airport. Helicopter transfers are also available.

British Airways offer direct return flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Nice. Visit their website to book: British Airways

Book

The four day Better Ageing programme from: £2765 per person
Double room rates from: £475

To book visit: Hotel Lily of the Valley