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Synopsis

Île de Bendor, a shared dream reborn by Zannier Hotels

Opening 1 May 2026

 

Seven minutes at sea. A stone quay emerging from the water. A harbour framed by sun-warmed Provençal façades.

To step onto Île de Bendor is to surrender to a feeling. The same quiet enchantment that struck Paul Ricard in 1950 when he first arrived on this sliver of land floating between Marseille and Nice, just off the coast of Bandol.

Seventy-five years on, these seven hectares of rock and light are reborn. Rewilded, restored and awakened by an ambitious architectural vision, Bendor once again calls for joy, for togetherness, for the Mediterranean art of living. On 1 May 2026, the island reclaims its place as an iconic destination, a natural refuge for locals and travellers alike, a place to pause, to celebrate, to belong.

For this renaissance, Société Paul Ricard, uniting the entrepreneur’s descendants, has joined forces with the family-owned Zannier Hotels group, whose properties are deeply rooted in their landscapes, from alpine peaks to tropical shores.

An island that lives like a village

 

There are a thousand reasons to board the small boats crossing from the port of Bandol. First among them is the hotel itself, an invitation to live in rhythm with the island, to greet its dawns, linger through its long afternoons and watch the sun sink slowly into the sea.

Ninety-three keys unfold across three distinct worlds,

  • To the east, Soukana, pared back and luminous, with 49 rooms housed within a mineral palace and a contemporary annex.
  • To the west, Delos, the island’s iconic heart, now enriched by a newly created cloister, where 39 rooms revive the refined elegance of Bendor’s golden Sixties.
  • By the harbour, Madrague, five former fishermen’s houses offer an intimate, family spirit, as if the island were welcoming guests into its own homes.

Bespoke interiors, quiet and tactile, composed of natural materials, carry the signature of Zannier Design Studio. The extensive renovation, mindful of preserving what already existed, was led by Hardel Le Bihan Architectes.

Yet Bendor is never just a place to stay. It is a place to linger. For a meal shared slowly. For a game of pétanque beneath the pine trees. For an aperitif as the harbour comes alive. Or simply for beauty. It is also an island that remembers how to celebrate, having long welcomed weddings, anniversaries and life’s great occasions.

 

 

“Bendor becomes a destination in its own right, a singular Mediterranean stopover dedicated to hospitality, wellbeing, art and gastronomy. A renewed expression of the spirit of conviviality so dear to Paul Ricard and his family.” – Arnaud Zannier
Go to Soukana Go to Delos Go to Madrague

A table that brings people together

 

On Bendor, conviviality finds its most delicious expression across four restaurants, guided by Michelin-starred chef Lionel Lévy. After many years in Marseille, he comes to the island to take on what he calls one last great challenge, continuing his lifelong dialogue with the South.

 

Evenings unfold at Le Grand Large, the gastronomic table welcoming a young chef in residence each season. Days are punctuated by relaxed lunches at Delos, light Asian-inspired flavours at Soukana and generous, sun-soaked Mediterranean feasts at Nonna Bazaar, the island sibling of the much-loved Menorcan table.

 

Then comes the ritual of the aperitif, inseparable from the spirit of Ricard. A drink at Bar Patrick or barefoot at Nonna Beach. Another at Café Paul Ricard, watching boats drift in and out of the harbour. Signature cocktails on the rooftops of Soukana and Delos. Or simply an ice cream or a crêpe by the port, chocolate moustaches for children, who enjoy their own dedicated kids’ club.

Explore our restaurants

Where craftsmanship becomes an art of living

 

Bendor rediscovers its artistic soul. Under the curation of the pioneering Oraé Gallery, more than 200 artworks are scattered across the island, from guest rooms to gardens. The former theatre becomes an art gallery once more, while an artisans’ village hosts three creators in residence, embroiderers, potters, weavers and designers, inviting guests to reconnect with the beauty of the handmade through immersive workshops.

 

Opening the programme, Croatian ceramicist Zeljana Vidovic Mioli will share her poetic, tactile universe this spring.

A sanctuary within the sanctuary

 

Carved into the island’s stone and surrounded by lavender and everlasting flowers, the 1,200 square metre Rēsonance Spa forms an island within the island and stands among the largest in the region. Here, time slows. Natural rhythms are honoured through a dialogue between modern practices and ancestral rituals, true to the philosophy of Zannier Hotels. Ayurvedic treatments, naturopathy and gentle bio-resonance therapies guide the experience.

 

This search for balance extends into the guest rooms, where natural Mēditatif products quietly soothe everyday life.

 

Bendor is all of this at once. A miniature world. A sunlit utopia born of the Mediterranean. One crossing will never be enough. Nor two. Nor three. Guests will return again and again to explore the promises of this small rocky island, now inventing a new destiny.

Explore Wellbeing

Boarding begins on 1 May 2026.

“Paul Ricard devoted his life to the happiness of others. On Bendor, he shaped a world guided by this ambition, sharing it through values of conviviality, freedom and creativity. It is with this same spirit that a new chapter of the island now opens.”

Marc de Jouffroy, great-grandson of Paul Ricard, Managing Director, Société Paul Ricard

Zannier Île de Bendor will be the sixth property from Zannier Hotels, with the brand currently operating five hotels, resorts and lodges around the world: Le Chalet (France); Phum Baitang (Cambodia); Omaanda (Namibia); Sonop (Namibia); and Bãi San Hô (Vietnam), and is an exciting next chapter as the brand continues to make its mark beyond the hotel space following the launch of Zannier Private Estates and Zannier Residences.

For reservations, please visit www.zannierhotels.com/bendor
For more information and renderings, please contact communication.bendor@zannier.com
For any recruitment-related questions, please contact career.bendor@zannier.com

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