Hotel Renaissance Aix en Provence ★★★★★

Aix-en-Provence has a long-standing reputation as a town of intellectuals, from its famous sons such as Cézanne and Zola to the thriving population of 40,000 students which to this day seem to make the whole town buzz like the cicadas in the Provencal countryside. It may be a home of prestigious cultural figures and great thinkers, but at least your choice of where to stay need not involve a lot of deep thinking – the Hotel Renaissance is an obvious choice, particularly with this fantastic offer from VeryChic!

Set up by the world-renowned Marriott group and boasting five well deserved stars, this is one of the most prestigious hotels in town. It comes with all the facilities you could hope for, such as a heated indoor pool, an excellent gym and a spa which offers a superb range of amenities and treatments to go with its soothing views over the hotel’s sunny garden, including couple’s massages and a lovely steam room. Upstairs, the bedrooms are equally luxurious, providing guests with air-conditioning (fortunately this is needed for much of spring and summer!), a perfectly equipped bathroom and a delightfully cosy bed, or beds if you opt for the enormous family rooms.

One of the Hotel Renaissance’s most striking characteristics is the way it strives to capture the essence and spirit of the charming town and magnificent region which surround it. Aix has a rich artistic heritage – its museums and galleries are filled with not just the countless works of Cézanne but also masterpieces by famous figures such as Picasso and Matisse – and so it is fitting that the hotel has a notable artistic flair, based around what they call a ‘contemporary reinterpretation of the symbols of Provence’. The bedrooms and corridors are dotted with around 400 eye-catching works of modern art, paintings and sculptures by local artists, most of which are available for guests to buy. Meanwhile, the enormous lobby is a real showcase of art and design, with its hanging armchairs, weird and wonderful light fittings, a huge curved staircase which twists though the air like a wave gently breaking against the Mediterranean coastline, and even a few bird cages for good measure. The whole look is completed by countless small homages to Provencal produce, such as the brightly coloured, abstract fish mural adorning the wall of the bar.

For the Hotel Renaissance’s greatest tribute to the produce of Provence, head to Le Clos, the excellent in-house restaurant under the leadership of Michelin-starred chef Jean-Marc Banzo. With VeryChic’s dinner-included option, you can savour the sumptuous local flavours every night. You could certainly never tire of the fantastic menu on offer, with every dish bringing the authentic heart, soul and taste of the Mediterranean onto your table. The atmosphere is cosy but sophisticated, and for something a little more laid back there is always the option of Le Comptoir du Clos, the hotel’s other restaurant, which serves up some more traditional bistro fare. In the summer, the sunny terrace makes this an extremely enticing proposition, and it is also where you will come for breakfast every morning for a great range of delicious ways to start the day.

Despite all this, perhaps the greatest thing about the Hotel Renaissance isn’t found in the esteemed restaurant, the luxurious rooms, the peaceful spa or even anywhere else inside the hotel itself. Outside the front door, past the garden with its majestic olive trees, the beautiful centre of Aix is just a short stroll away. It is a brilliant town to visit at any time of year, and with this extended VeryChic offer you can soak in the quiet atmosphere and refreshing climate in spring or enjoy the vibrancy and heat which come with the height of summer. Whatever the season, there are a few things that remain all year round – grand 17th and 18th century mansions, upmarket tree-lined boulevards, floral gardens and some tremendous museums and galleries.

If you manage to draw yourself away from the charming town itself, the rest of Provence awaits – the sandy beaches and glittering resorts on the Mediterranean coast, countless ancient Roman villages and market towns, breath-taking river valleys and the scenic marshland of the Camargue, where horses and flamingos roam free. With all this and more to discover, the only problem is finding enough time to make the most of the magnificent Hotel Renaissance!