Bandol, in a region perhaps best known for its wines, is also a splendid seaside destination, less than an hour from Marseille. Here, on a spit of land between the marina and a sheltered beach, is the Hôtel & Spa Île Rousse Thalazur Bandol, a 67-room luxury boutique hotel in a clean-lined contemporary style. Its pleasures are on the subtle side, especially compared with its cousins to the east, on the Riviera; the spa, with its wide array of seawater-focused treatments, is an impressive one, and is complemented by the presence of not one but two private beach clubs.