Just off the main stretch of beach in St. Tropez’s Bay of Pampelonne is Nikki Beach St. Tropez, a beach club worth visiting for great music, food and an all around great time.
If you’ve never been to a Nikki Beach before (they have locations in St. Barth, Miami, Cabo San Lucas and other beach towns) here’s what to expect: lots of champagne, beautiful people, gigantic sunbeds and the occasional celebrity spotting. The beach clubs are known for their wild day parties (St. Tropez had an American-themed one and a Superhero theme party — think fun frat party meets lots of money and glamour) and visiting superstar djs where the pool turns into a dance floor.
While the day parties are the main draw for some, I find Nikki Beach to be even more delightful on days where there isn’t an event. I recently visited Nikki Beach St. Tropez on a Tuesday in September and had a blast. (I mean, if it’s good enough for Bono, Cindy Crawford and Roberto Cavalli, all who have parties there, it’s good enough for me) The vibe of the place was more mellow and relaxing with oldies like “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” and “Stand By Me” playing by the pool. I sipped an amazing mojito (seriously, nice job, Nikki Beach. I have a hard time finding good mojitos outside of the US) while lounging in a gorgeous white sunbed poolside.
The beach club has great attention to detail in everything from its color scheme (white, sea blue and bright yellow) to its waitstaff (attentive but not pushy) and the vibe it works so hard to create.
We had lunch at the restaurant at Nikki Beach and were really impressed by the food. We started with a breaded shrimp appetizer which had a sweet and sour chili sauce, that was delicious. The breading was perfect — almost like a tempura. And then we moved on to entrees, and let me say how much I appreciated this — the restaurant knows its clientele. There were so many options on the menu that were low carb or carb free. The boyfriend opted for Tandoori Chicken Brochettes and I had Chicken satay with grilled veggies. (after all, it’s bikini season so we had to keep the carbs at bay.) Both of us were really happy with our choices.
As the day grew later, the pool came more alive. A DJ began spinning more contemporary music and guests ordered magnums of rosé to sip poolside.
Overall, Nikki Beach is a great place to visit either on a more relaxed day with your boyfriend or hubby or on a weekend with a larger group to get table service by the pool. Just remember to dress the part — ladies, that means cute bikinis and cover ups! You won’t be right next to to beach, but with an atmosphere like this, who needs la plage?