Aix-en-Provence, France
Villa Gallici
To the Manor Reborn
What it is
An 18th century estate adorned in fanciful Baroque style, with 23 rooms, a five acre garden, heated al fresco pool, intimate spa and topnotch restaurant.
What it isn't
Equipped with ye olde services. Concierges await 24 hours a day, and the spa has cryotherapy treatments that even the Jetsons would appreciate.
What we think
If Marie Antoinette were reincarnated as a Provençal inn, it might be this one. Sumptuous beauty awaits to wow you around every corner. Even the 269 square foot “starter” classic rooms appear worthy of Versailles, with their canopy beds, walls and draperies adorned in one storied toile pattern, private balconies, and bath products from Paris-based Carita. We’re somewhat obsessed with the Terrace Suite, a 645 square foot hideaway with its own private garden, extravagantly carved gilt woodwork and parquet floors. Another fave: the Picasso Villa, which has its own private pool and two terraces…an idyllic place to paint the day away. Don’t miss the octopus, fennel and olive oil salad at the hotel’s Italian restaurant, Dolce Serata.
You're here because
You’re a card-carrying oenophile, and the wine cellar here is what dreams are made of: a rounded room inspired by a decanter and stocked with more than 330 labels and a staff sommelier.
The Moment
With its rounded windows and white stone finishes, the garden-side, 2,000 square foot spa feels more like an orangerie. Today’s treatment: a toasted black sunflower seed facial that’s been delighting the world’s beauties since 1956.
Restaurants & Bars
La Villa Gallici's Restaurant - Offers the opportunity to enjoy dishes with a Provencal accent prepared with great inventiveness
Location
The amiable outskirts of Aix-en-Provence, an 11 minute drive from the train station. Just a few blocks from the hotel: Atelier de Cezanne, a.k.a. Paul Cézanne’s former studio, still equipped with his furniture and personal effects.