“A beautifully appointed B&B Perfectly placed in the heart of St Martin. This hotel oozes an elegantly luxurious country house charm with antique-filled rooms, art-filled walls and a discreetly attentive service. There’s fine dining food and a terrace perfect for people-watching”
“A beautifully appointed B&B Perfectly placed in the heart of St Martin. This hotel oozes an elegantly luxurious country house charm with antique-filled rooms, art-filled walls and a discreetly attentive service. There’s fine dining food and a terrace perfect for people-watching”
Hotel Review
A discreet doorway on a quiet street on the edge of the old town opens into one of the city’s original ‘hotels particulaires’ or 18th century merchants’ houses. Grand affairs, typically with an inner courtyard and garden, this one is now apartments but with the guest house commanding the best rooms that overlook the garden at the rear. And it still feels like a private house. A large open-plan living space is chic with white sofas, candles and glossy magazines. It’s in here that owner Olivier Durand serves a simple breakfast on pretty china including fresh fruit salad, breads, pastries and home-made marmalade – and very good coffee.
Bedrooms on two floors have a modern French country cottage charm with stripped floorboards, sophisticated wall colours (the French equivalent of Farrow & Ball), carefully chosen antiques – a pretty little escritoire, perhaps – and minimal fuss. Bathrooms have designer basins, all but two are shower-only. One room is tucked at the bottom of the garden in the former wine cellar. Cosy and romantic with a barrel-vaulted ceiling and free-standing bath in the bedroom, it’s beautifully private.
Guests are free to come and go as they please; the old town and port, with their medieval towers, arcaded streets and glowing limestone buildings, are a five- to 10-minute walk. Plenty of restaurants within strolling distance, too, with seafood a speciality.
Written by Helen Pickles
Recommended For
- Local exploring
- With the city attractions and the coastline within walking distance, this hotel is great for local exploring
- City Style
- Set in the pretty coastal town of La Rochelle, this hotel has lots of French provincial charm
- Romantic Break
- Couples rate this boutique B&B highly; book the secret garden cave suite for extra privacy
- Cycling
- Rent bikes to explore the pretty L'île d'Oléron, another of the islands off the coast with pretty sandy beaches
- Sights nearby
- The bridge to L'île de Ré is just ten minutes away from this hotel; explore the small island on a day trip
- Other Activities
- Visit the La Rochelle Aquarium to discover a range of protected species native to this stretch of the coast
- No restaurant
- Breakfast available
- Restrictions on children
- Adults-only hotel
- Full of character
- Sit-out Terrace
- Outstanding location
- Rooms with balcony/terrace
- Quiet
- Secluded setting
- Romantic
- Intimate
- Charming
- Traditional
- Chic
- Boutique
- B&B
Facilities
- No restaurant
- Breakfast available
- Restrictions on children
- Adults-only hotel
- Sit-out Terrace
- No pets
- Rooms with balcony/terrace
- Parking
- Air conditioning
- Wifi
- Garden
Activities
- Cycling
- Rent bikes to explore the pretty L'île d'Oléron, another of the islands off the coast with pretty sandy beaches
- Sights nearby
- The bridge to L'île de Ré is just ten minutes away from this hotel; explore the small island on a day trip
- Other Activities
- Visit the La Rochelle Aquarium to discover a range of protected species native to this stretch of the coast
Map & Location
