Toulon · 1981 - 2026
Grand Hôtel Dauphiné: 45 Years in the Heart of Toulon
Since 1981, the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné has been one of the leading hotels in Toulon city centre. A family-run 3-star boutique hotel in the historic heart of Toulon, it features a rooftop with a pool, a bar and panoramic views. Join us as we look back on 45 remarkable years of people, architecture and hospitality.
1981
The Beginning
Founding a Family Hotel in Toulon
On 1 April 1981, Michel Stropoli, a former postman turned taxi driver, joined his two brothers in taking over a hotel-restaurant in the very centre of Toulon, a stone’s throw from the harbour and the pedestrian streets. Not a luxury palace, not an international chain, but a family-run house with high standards and a warm welcome, which laid the foundations for what would become the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné. Toulon had found one of its most enduring addresses.
The 1980s
Building an Identity in Toulon
To avoid any confusion with the Grand Hôtel de Toulon, the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné was temporarily renamed Hôtel du Dauphiné while renovation work was under way. The name is a nod to the Dauphiné region in the French Alps, home to one of its former owners.
A pivotal period that shaped the hotel’s identity: authenticity, strong local roots and a real sense of service, in a city undergoing profound change.
1990s
IDENTITY
The Grand Hôtel Dauphiné reclaims its name
When the rival luxury hotel closed its doors for good, the hotel proudly reclaimed its original name. A name, a reputation and a go-to address in the historic centre of Toulon.
The Grand Hôtel Dauphiné established itself as a key player in Toulon’s independent hotel scene.
1999
SUCCESSION
A family legacy, a new generation at the helm
Stéphane Stropoli took over the reins of the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné. A demanding handover, guided by a clear vision: to modernise the hotel without losing its family spirit, and to make every stay in Toulon one to remember.
2013–2014
The rooftop project: a first for Toulon
A bold plan began to take shape: raising two buildings to add a sixth floor and create a panoramic terrace with a pool, right in the heart of the city. Designed entirely in-house by the management team, this large-scale build was unprecedented among Toulon’s city-centre hotels.
2019
TRANSFORMATION
The rooftop opens: pool, bBar and views over Toulon
Six years after the first sketches, the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné’s rooftop opened its doors. A heated pool, a bar, relaxation areas high above the streets and sweeping views over the rooftops of Toulon and the bay: the hotel had reached a turning point. It became the only boutique hotel in Toulon city centre to offer a rooftop experience of this calibre.
A transformation that made the hotel a destination in its own right on the French Riviera and in the Var.
2019–Present
A 3-Star Hotel in Toulon, Open to Its City
Since the rooftop opened, the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné has continued to reinvent itself: a gym, a sauna, a meeting room for business guests, pool access for local residents… With 52 artistically designed rooms and suites, the hotel has become a true part of everyday life in Toulon, open to all and moving in step with the revival of the city’s historic centre.
2026
ANNIVERSARY
The Grand Hôtel Dauphiné celebrates 45 years in Toulon
Forty-five years after that first day, 1 April 1981, the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné is still here, family-run, independent and as committed as ever. To mark the occasion, the hotel has teamed up with two of Toulon’s most iconic institutions: the Théâtre Châteauvallon-Liberté, the city’s major cultural venue, and the Yacht Club de Toulon, a symbol of the Mediterranean seafaring way of life. Many other partners rooted in the Toulon Provence Méditerranée area have also joined the celebrations. These partnerships reflect how deeply the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné is woven into local life, and its commitment to showcasing Toulon far beyond its own walls.
In 2026, the hotel celebrates this milestone with the same passion that drove its founders 45 years ago.
"Service is a show that never stops. For 45 years, every stay at the Grand Hôtel Dauphiné has been staged down to the smallest detail, because our guests deserve far more than just a place to stay in Toulon."
STÉPHANE STROPOLI, GENERAL MANAGER