Luxury hotels open every season on the French Riviera. Entire islands rarely do. Just seven minutes by boat from the Provençal town of Bandol, Île de Bendor has reopened after a five-year restoration led by Zannier Hotels. Once the private island of entrepreneur Paul Ricard, the seventeen-acre retreat has been transformed into one of the Mediterranean’s most distinctive new destinations for summer 2026. Rather than introducing another resort to the Côte d’Azur, the project brings an island back to life. Restaurants, gardens, artisan spaces, walking paths and a 93-room hotel now sit alongside one another, reflecting Ricard’s original vision of Bendor as a place to gather, create and slow down.
Zannier Île de Bendor
Zannier Hotels has never followed the traditional language of luxury hospitality. Its properties are defined by architecture that belongs to their surroundings, interiors shaped by local craftsmanship and an atmosphere that never feels staged. That philosophy is evident across Bendor. Stone buildings, lime-washed walls and Mediterranean vegetation blend naturally into the landscape, while the design draws almost entirely from Provence. Nothing feels excessive, and very little competes for attention. The island itself remains the main attraction.
Designed Like a Village
The 93 rooms and suites are spread across the island rather than concentrated in a single hotel building. Narrow lanes, shaded courtyards and sea-facing terraces connect the accommodation, creating the impression of walking through a small Provençal village instead of a conventional resort. It is a subtle distinction, but one that changes the entire experience. Guests are encouraged to explore rather than remain within the boundaries of a hotel, discovering different corners of the island throughout the day.
Life on Bendor
Days unfold at an unhurried pace. Mornings begin with a swim in the Mediterranean, afternoons are spent sailing or wandering through the island’s gardens, while evenings naturally revolve around long lunches, local wines and Provençal cuisine. Dining focuses on seasonal ingredients and regional producers, while wellness has become another defining part of the destination. The new Rēsonance wellness centre offers personalised programmes that combine treatments, movement and recovery in a setting designed to feel calm rather than clinical. Despite its sense of seclusion, Bendor remains closely connected to the mainland. Bandol, one of Provence’s best-known wine destinations, is only a short boat ride away, making the island feel secluded without ever feeling isolated.
The Riviera, Reimagined
The French Riviera has never lacked legendary hotels. What it has lacked is somewhere that feels genuinely new without trying to reinvent the region. Île de Bendor succeeds because it doesn’t compete with Saint-Tropez, Cannes or Monaco. It offers a different rhythm altogether, one centred on craftsmanship, landscape and the quiet pleasures of Mediterranean life. For travellers looking beyond the Riviera’s familiar addresses this summer, Bendor is one of the season’s most compelling discoveries. Find out more at zannierhotels.com
Photos: © Zannier Île de Bendor
