This is the kind of hotel that our reviewers love to stumble across. It looks terribly simple but the creeper-covered façade conceals a sympathetic renovation that preserves and enhances its rustic appeal. We’re talking wonky-shaped rooms, white-painted beams, old doors used for wardrobes and TVs hidden in pine cupboards. Colours are muted but there are lots of nice little touches (eg organic shampoos and tiny soap dishes in the pristine bathrooms) and even the lighting is good. A favourite room is no 8 with a fireplace and glorious views over the vineyards from its balcony.
With a carte and a tasty four-course menu, chef Eric Richard offers straight-forward, occasionally innovative cuisine accompanied by professional if somewhat matter-of-fact service. Breakfast, too, is a treat with lots of home-made goodies on the buffet table.
All in all, impeccable taste, honest prices and only a few miles (but a world away) from the racetrack that is the A7 motorway. Nearby Mirmande prides itself on its gardens and is equally arty - potters and painters having been attracted to ‘one of the most beautiful villages of France’.