To understand and appreciate the Hotel Clos des Aromes, you must first know all about Cassis.
Built around a horse-shoe bay and crammed with fishing boats and pleasure craft, the little harbour is about as picturesque as it gets. Hence large numbers of day tourists mosey about before setting off in boats to explore the nearby Calanques. By night, the good people of Marseille flock to their favourite quayside restaurants for bouillabaisse or fruits de mer. As a result, parking is a nightmare throughout the year.
Superior accommodations (eg Hotel Royal Cottage with a pool and private parking) are a 5-10 minute uphill hike from the sea. How marvellous it would be, therefore, to find an intimate hotel just a few paces from the port with a colourful flower-festooned courtyard, its own low-key restaurant, an unbeatable price and a garage in which to hide your car. Step forward, Clos des Arômes.
It’s a peaceful spot, despite the school opposite and the church clock to the other side. The attractive rooms are small and have ceiling fans instead of a/c. Try to book one that’s been newly renovated, preferably (côté jardin) overlooking the courtyard which is romantically lit by lanterns in the evening. And wallow in your good fortune at finding this little gem with its super ambience and ever-friendly owner.