There is a particular element of luxury that has nothing to do with thread counts, infinity pools or square footage, and everything to do with unique perks and experiences.
At AREV St. Tropez, that quirk comes in the form of Jacke, the hotel's dedicated French Fry Butler.
A French Fry Butler can be summoned at the touch of a button, distinctly marked as a direct line. Or should you find yourself with a craving wandering the hotel or down by the beach, simply lift the cherry red telephones dotted around the resort. Within minutes, a basket of hot, golden fries appears, accompanied by an array of toppings and dips designed for nothing more serious than making you smile. It sounds like a gimmick until you experience it, at which point it becomes one of the more memorable parts of the stay.
The Fries, Explained
Jacke's position is the sort of detail that is a knowingly indulgent, entirely unnecessary pleasure built for a crowd that already has everything else. But there is real craft behind it.
The fries themselves are freshly cooked to order, served alongside a rotating cast of regular toppings, luxury toppings, and dipping sauces designed to be a little unexpected. This is the kind of thing you order at midnight after a long lunch or midway through getting ready for dinner simply because you can. Already well documented across social media, this useful hotline (and hotel) is ideal for anyone that could be possibly struck by a sudden craving.
Choose from the Medium size (€15), the Extra Large Size (€36) or the Triple Extra Large Size (€60), and choose your type of fry - from classic potato, sweet potato, paprika spiced or vegetable crisps. Now, for the toppings. Create your own combination or go for a classic, there are so many options. Regular toppings include guacamole, shredded cheddar, fried onions and even a scoop of vanilla ice-cream - which is described as 'the crazy option.' Or get fancy, and go for the luxury toppings which include Parmesan with truffle oil, fresh shavings of truffle from €15, or go all out and add €135 worth of caviar. The AREV Secret Sauce is a must-try.
This quirky perk neatly within AREV's wider sense of humour surrounding luxury.
A Hotel Built on Old-School Glamour - With a Twist
AREV St. Tropez opened in 2024 on the Chemin des Vendanges, a short stroll from the legendary Place des Lices, and it wasted no time becoming one of the most discussed openings on the Riviera.
The interiors lean into the hotel's location, embracing maritime palette of stripes in varying combinations of blue, white and red. The Saint-Tropez hotel carries a single Michelin Key, the guide's shorthand for a genuinely special stay. And, every room comes with its own dedicated host service, essentially a private butler tasked with everything from beach reservations to dinner bookings, so by the time Jacke enters the picture, guests are already well accustomed to having their every whim quietly handled.
The property itself behaves less like a traditional hotel and more like a small, glamorous resort. One of the largest pools in central Saint-Tropez anchors the grounds, with DJs setting the tone by day and live music carrying things into the evening, while those wanting a quieter corner can retreat to the gardens, the padel court or the AREV Spa in partnership with Maison ST, where treatments are built around organic, locally sourced ingredients. It is a hotel designed to keep you moving between moods, from sun-soaked and sociable to still and restorative, often within the same afternoon.
The Last Fry
Although the French Fry Butler will not be the reason anyone books a stay at AREV St. Tropez outright, but it may well be the detail they remember longest. In a hotel otherwise built on genuine culinary pedigree, thoughtful design and a level of service that borders on anticipatory, Jacke and his basket of fries offer something rarer than another five-star flourish: a reason to laugh and hark back to The Plaza scene in Home Alone.
