The French Riviera: A Taste of Luxury for Families Too
Behind every great hotel, there’s a great story, and this one will reach the heart of any parent who ever wanted to plan a vacation at a luxury destination with kids in tow. Yes, there are some small European luxury resorts that accept children under the age of 12. But who wants Monsieur Lafitte, Signora Rossa or Mr. and Mrs. J.P. Smith frowning at you scornfully through their martini glass when the kids ask, “where’s the food!!?” just a little too loud. The French Riviera, in particular, has somewhat of a reputation in promoting the concept that luxury and kids are not terms that should be used in the same sentence.
Leila Elling had just the same problem six years ago when she traveled throughout Europe with her young children. Either the places where she wanted to stay didn’t accept children, or they did so begrudgingly and utterly unprepared to make the experience as enjoyable for the little ones as it could be for their parents. A woman of means and ingenuity, Leila Elling finally took matters into her own hands and opened her own luxury resort in the exclusive residential enclave of Beauvallon, overlooking the Bay of Saint-Tropez. Constructed between 1911 and 1914, this Belle Èpoche palace hotel is the only one of its kind along the Riviera between Cannes and Marseilles.
A typical day at Le Beauvallon might include arriving by helicopter at the helipad fifteen minutes away, refreshed enough to take in a game of golf at the 18-hole Golf Club du Beauvallon. Children’s sized golf-clubs are available, but the kids may want to relax by watching a movie in the hotel’s private screening room, complete with surround-sound dolby stereo, airplane-like reclining seats, snacks and a cool drink. Perhaps afterward,