What it is

A turreted 19th century estate with 31 sumptuous guest rooms, ten bars and restaurants (one Michelin starred), a spa, loaner bikes, and adjacent beach.

What it isn't

Poorly serviced. The hotel is among the coterie of topnotch properties around the globe that have been granted membership in Relais & Châteaux: i.e. some of the best of the best hotels on earth.

What we think

If we had only one word to describe the guest rooms at Le Castel Marie-Louise, it would be “fanciful.” Even the starting room category here is anything but, thanks to interior designer Jacques Garcia: superior rooms are adorned with abundant draperies, carved furnishings, intricate wallpaper, and bay windows you can fling open to a pine forest breeze. Because rooms can feel intimate at 215 square feet, we do recommend the Family Apartment if you’re traveling with a brood: it’s 376 square feet and equipped with exposed beams, a separate seating area and dressing room, and skylights that bring in that gauzy French light.

You're here because

You will go out of your way to eat at Michelin starred restaurants, and the hotel’s namesake restaurant is famous for creating edible haute art from the fruits of the sea (order the spider crab within a shell cloud).

The Moment

After a sunswept day of riding bikes along the salt marshes, you’re ready for some beach time. Here, that means liaising under a yellow and white striped parasol and sipping a St. Germain Spritz.

Restaurants & Bars

Le Castel Marie-Louise - classic French cuisine

L'Eden Beach - located on the beach just across from the Hôtel Barrière L'Hermitage, offering fresh fish and local produce

Le Ponton - beach deck dining offering light bites, cocktails and dishes to share

La Terrasse - located at the Hôtel L’Hermitage, offering wood-fired dishes

Location

Steps from the sand along the Bay of Biscay, and an hour drive from Nantes Atlantique Airport.