During my latest trip to the Côte d’Azur I stayed in one of the most charming hotels I have ever stayed in. Hôtel Le Delos is located on the tiny island Bendor, 5 minutes ferry trip off the coast of Bandol’s harbour. Bendor island, or île de Bendor, is owned by Paul Ricard, who is famous for his signature French liquor Pastis; an anise flavoured spirit. The small island has five restaurants, a beach, an artist village with shops, an art gallery and two museums. It’s a traffic free island, therefore the ideal spot to unwind and relax. But more about the island in a later blog post. First, the beautiful Hotel Le Delos.
Hotel Le Delos is only a few steps away from the pier where the ferry docks. As soon as I entered the hotel I knew I had made a great choice. With only 19 rooms it feels very private and personal. The hotel was designed by Paul Ricard himself. It has an Italian inspired architecture and many artistic details and elements. The mixture of muted coloured spaces and exuberant colorful ones, make it an interesting design. The bar is a real eye-catcher, as is the pink unisex restroom near the restaurant.
My room
All of the rooms in Hotel Le Delos have a spectacular sea view and are uniquely and individually decorated. My room was right up my alley with a turquoise blue and white colour scheme. I just can’t describe the atmosphere and feeling of waking up, opening the curtains and seeing that breathtaking view and hearing the waves break. From my bed the early morning sun rays lit up the room in a yellowish light. It was so mesmerizing! And don’t even get me started on the balmy evenings spent on the balcony overlooking the sea and Côte d’Azur coastline all the way towards Six-Fours-les-Plage.
Relaxation guaranteed
No doubt you will relax and rest at Hotel Le Delos. The tranquil surrounding and small scale hotel ensure a haven of peace and harmony. I intensely enjoyed my breakfast on the sunny restaurant terrace with the spectacular sea view. The breakfast buffet was boasting with delicious food like warm, fresh out of the oven chocolate buns (pains du chocolat), croissants, pancakes, crêpes, fruits, yoghurts, cheeses and different juices.
The heated pool is an inviting and refreshing way to start or end the day. The die-hard sunbather will also enjoy it, because the pool-deck is sun-filled the entire day.
The Restaurant Le Delos
Whether you stay in the hotel or are just visiting Bandol, I would highly recommend a dinner at the Hotel Delos restaurant. It is a true gastronomic experience. I opted for the three-course “fresh from the market” menu, consisting of tuna and zucchini as a starter, Dorade fish as a main, and a spectacular chocolate themed dessert. They have some excellent regional wines, and ofcourse I also tried the Paul Ricard licorice spirit.
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