illustration – paper fashion
Where to Stay
Where to stay when travelling to Provence is the big question I try and avoid.
It is the toughest one to answer because the answers are never simple… and it is the question that I am asked so often… I spend much of my time in Provence but it has been a very long time since I have stayed in accommodation other than our own. When we were renovating our property I tried every hotel… big, small and in-between…I was totally in the know and I had very firm opinions… these days my knowledge is far removed and reduced to hearsay. The problem with recommending places to stay is that we all like different styles. We have different requirements, different aesthetics, different budgets and different dreams…
Do you want to experience traditional Provence? Colourful Provence? Contemporary Provence? Or the Côte Sud kind of Provence? Are you searching for small and intimate? Or large and fully serviced?
The other problem is that establishments change. What can be excellent customer service one day can be unpleasant and unhelpful on another. Hotels become tired… not just in a decorative sense… a stay at the beginning of the season may be entirely different to one at the end. Essentially no visits are ever the same and no two experiences alike. Where you stay colours a trip… it can make or break a holiday. Travelling is expensive and time is precious… so getting the ‘where to stay’ right is of the utmost importance.
Research, Research, Research
The internet can tell a great deal about an establishment. Find out what is available online and visit many websites to get a feel for what you are looking for. Email the particular hotels of interest… ask questions, ask rates, ask anything that you need to know. Remember you are the client and if they want your business they should welcome your queries with open arms… and respond accordingly.
Use Trip Advisor ratings (one of the best I think) and similar sites as a guide not as a given. It is not always clear whether every rating is genuine and while I hope they are, it is important to read them with an open mind. I have read scathing reviews of hotels that I love and vice-versa… These sites are not definitive guides but they can offer some insights… and they can also mis-inform… (Like the time I arrived in Budapest for a weekend only to be staying 30 kilometres from the centre of the town… my fault entirely because I was naive enough to trust an unknown site without double checking and because I didn’t do my research properly.)
Speak to like-minded friends… like-minded being the important word here. There is no point asking your best friend where to stay if she likes camping and you like 5 star luxury… Speak with experienced travellers who are simpatico with your ways.
Narrow your choices. Decide at the outset what kind of accommodation you need. Whether you are travelling with friends, with children or with elderly people… this can change the parameters of your search. Think of the weather… winter travel means that you can stay somewhere more confined, without a pool but travelling in the summer changes all that. A refreshing swim at the end of a long dry day can make all the difference.
Know your budget… There are so many different places to stay in Provence… The starred establishments, the small village hotels, the country guest houses or the simple B&B’s… this is where your research can help.
Consult a map… Confirm that the hotels you are thinking about are well located.
Think about travelling off season… The hotel rates drop dramatically outside of the summer season.
Look into Cancellation policies… these can make the decision to stay very easy… some are fair and others can be ridiculously rigid.
Book ahead if travelling in season… I know that planning can seem contrived and can ruin spontaneity but there is nothing worse than searching endlessly for somewhere to stop and being disappointed that you didn’t ‘get in’ to your first choice.
I know that we all want an easy solution to ‘where to stay’… me included… but experience has taught me that what you put in in terms of time before your trip will ultimately make all the difference… xv
** The Michelin Guide to France… it is invaluable… and once you understand the symbols it holds everything you need to know about travelling in Provence.
Close By St Remy de Provence
chateau des alpilles // sous les figuieres // le mas de l’amarine // le petit bijou // hotel le vallon de valrugues
Five Stars and a Little Further
