Hotel Le Golfe ★★★★ Piscine & Spa Casanera

The Italian Riviera or France's Côte d'Azur? Unable to choose between that gorgeous Mediterranean off the coast of Italy and our love of all things French, we have hit upon a happy medium – Corsica. Rugged chalk cliffs, golden sands, turquoise waters, paradisiacal beaches of all shapes sizes, the sweet smell of pine trees, that stunning terrain that mimics the Italian coast nearby and yet this is France! France with its rolling vineyards, exquisite wines and mouth­watering cuisine, all with an island twist of fresh seafood and wild, salty air... The cherry on top is that we have found the perfect spot in the perfect location at the Hotel Le Golfe & Spa.

Overlooking the infinite haze of blues of the Gulf of Valinco, set directly on a beautiful beach by the town of Porto Pollo, known for its spectacular stretch of coastline, lies this luxury haven that seems to capture what is best about this island. With a long list of sublime services including an organic Spa (with 30% discount), outdoor heated pool and water sports available, including Jet-skis for which we get another VeryChic discount, we seem to have our every whim catered forhere. It even has a Michelin recommended restaurant that I am eagerly looking forward to trying,particularly as our first evening meal comes with the hotel's compliments! Thus, it is with great excitement that we arrive in our little rental car and leave it in the free parking.

Prepared for something special, I am nevertheless struck by the serenity and chic calm of the place as we enter the cool lobby and are shown our room. A low­key sophistication and style marks the design that allows the sumptuous surroundings to take the starring role whilst exuding a subtle elegance and quality all its own. This extends to our spacious bedroom whose wide floor-to­ceiling windows let in the brilliant light of yellows, whites and blues from outside where we are enchanted to see the sea glinting and glittering just beyond our reach. It draws me magnetically across the floor and out onto our balcony to breathe in that wonderful, intoxicating air. Unable to resist the delicious urge to wash away the heat and grime of travel in those silky waters, I take a rapid tour of our seaside boudoir. Fabulous Italian shower, vast king­size bed, flat screen television, safe, minibar and free wireless internet – I can think of nothing more we could possiblyneed and so my man and I whisk on our swimwear and race to the beach.

This becomes our morning ritual and after each delicious breakfast we start the day here before embarking on a series of outings and in the evening we dine right here 'at home', for why stray far when the food is as good as this and bed is but a few minutes away? In fact, my favourite days are those we spend lazily in and around our heavenly hotel; snorkelling in its wild cove, taking a siesta in the hot afternoon, having an evening drink in the sleek outdoor lounge and capping it off with a night by the pool under the twinkling stars. C'est parfait!