This is an excellent hotel in Saint Tropez: excellent location, excellent service, excellent restaurant. The 4 stars are totally fair and correct.

In Saint Tropez you have three or four 5-star hotels (Byblos is one of them) and six or seven 4 star-hotels. If you are looking for a 4 star-hotel, cosy, romantic, quiet and charming "La Ponche" is a fantastic solution.

The hotel is located in Rue des Pecheurs/Rue des Remparts, a 3 minutes walking from the marine and from the center of the village. There is a car parking (21 euro/day).

The staff is very helpful and the room is extremely clean. The staff cleans the room twice a day: in the morning when you go to the beach and in the evening when we go out to dinner.

The restaurant is certainly one of the best in Saint Tropez and with a fantastic sea view (La Ponche Bay). The breakfast has everything you need: milk, coffee, tea, croisssants, bagguette, butter, pain aux chocolat, orange/peach/framboise/strawberry jam, yogurt, honey. It is not included in the price. We had breakfast at the hotel (19 euro each) rather than have breakfast at the marine full of tourists ("Senequier" at the marine, for instance, takes a lot of time to be served).

We stayed at Room 14, which we recommend. It is a large room, with a small balcony with a sea view. Large and very clean WC.

This is a historical hotel (it has a book published about it). Picasso, actress Romy Schneider, the former French President George Pompidou and others have stayed here, and the rooms have their names (Picasso Room, Pompidou Room, etc.).

After staying in Saint Tropez for the first time, there is no doubt that if we go back there we will stay at "La Ponche" and recomend it to our relatives and friends.

Okay so it's got no swimming pool, or spa or any such frills. And at eur310 for approx 10sqm, it seems like a rip off. But the location is ace, and even the smallest room is done up wonderfully and one can tell they haven't just crammed ikea junk into their least expensive room. It doesn't have an ironing board which is a bit annoying, but it has an awesome strong shower (no bath), comfy bed (even if a bit smaller than normal queen size), and the best value a la carte breakfast in town (eur6 for scrambled eggs n ham). Even if you are not staying here, do come for the a la carte breakkie. Valet guys are great - they'll advice on where there are free parking spots available and will even grab your car for you. But don't try to ask them to arrange a rental for you as for some unknown reason the rates they'll quote will have a mysterious 33% mark up than the actual rental company's quote. Pop down to the hertz for a cheaper and pain free rental.

My significant other and I stayed here for a total of 7 nights in a suite overlooking the sea. It was decorated in soft tones and was roomy and comfortable with an elegant and deluxe marble bathroom with super soft and large towels. The view was unparalled!! It was spotlessly clean and the concierges could not have been of more help in all the things we asked for . The breakfast was delicious and the service professional and caring. It is very small and does not even feel like you are staying in an hotel. The staff were super helpful and brought our rental car around for us as a courtesy without even being asked!!! I cannot say enough about the location, perhaps one of the best in all of St. Tropez. The hotel is a "jewel" and I can't wait to return this year for another fabulous holiday as their guest.

We have used this hotel for many years enjoying great food and service. Unfortunately we took some friends who are not French speaking, or aquanted with French menus. The normally good staff could not be less interested in waiting for explanations etc; whereafter the service and also the food quality deteriorated to a point of embarrassment. this is quite norrnall for 'end of season' Cote d'Azur restaurants; such a pity La Ponche is the same. I will not return, but still give it 2 stars on the basis of past enjoyable visits.