Difficult to imagine how Gérard and Danielle Jouanny's hotel, a handsome, white 19th-century mansion, can get any better.
The cuisine (plenty of local fish and sea food) is excellent, as is the impeccable and very friendly service. Residents, who are expected to dine in, may tussle with some of the nuttier items on the menu: La tentation de l’écureuil is a favourite dessert! Further brownie points are earned for the restaurant’s panoramic terrace and its remarkable wine cellar. Meals can be served under parasols and cypress trees in the large flowery garden.
Breakfast, a generous buffet, comes with a bulletin giving times of tides, local markets and events – typical of the thoughtful owners. Even their dog is unfailingly polite when awake. The cosy sitting rooms are impeccably maintained and invitingly homely. Some bedrooms have a balcony with views of the coast. Some, under the gables, can be hot in summer. The new spa has a selection of treatments and restorative breaks are available too.
Set on arguably the loveliest stretch of the granite rose coast, the hotel has steps down to the big public beach. This can get crowded on summer weekends but the hotel itself is well organised for small children. Here, then, is a absolute gem with a welcoming smile, a stylish gait, an unbeatable outlook and irresistible fare.