Odalys - Les Hauts de la Principauté

My partner and I were equally fed up with the weather we’d experienced since the British ‘summer’ had finished. We were both craving some Vitamin D, and a little time to forget about the stresses of work and everyday life. My French was pretty rusty having not spoken it since my school days but two of the words I could remember were beau, beautiful and soleil, sun. So one evening, after receiving an email from VeryChic for an offer in Beausoleil, we did a little research and liked what we saw, then made a spontaneous decision to spend a long weekend there - a little pre-Christmas present to ourselves…

A couple of weeks later and we were off – the kids were with their grandparents, we’d booked a few days off work and we were swapping the grey skies for clear blue ones in the lovely south of France. We were in awe as we drove through Monaco and up to Beausoleil – the views got better and better the closer we got, and we were soon surrounded by the serenity and peace that we’d been craving.

Our Odalys Les Hauts de la Principauté aparthotel gave us the privacy and ‘home away from home’ feeling of an apartment but with all the luxuries and facilities of a hotel. VeryChic had upgraded us to a Superior Suite, meaning we had huge amounts of space to ourselves, a fully-equipped kitchenette, a dining area and a stunning roof terrace where we could relax and soak up the sun. The flat-screen TV and free Wi-Fi were added bonuses of course, but we were determined to have a technology-free holiday and take advantage of the unspoiled natural beauty that surrounded us.

After settling in, we went for a little stroll to explore Beausoleil. It’s a classic French town, brimming with pretty market squares, soaring sea vistas, Belle Époque architecture, ancient ruins, churches and wild mountain paths. Monaco and its ritzy reputation is a hard act to follow, meaning that it is often overshadowed and underrated. But we were more than happy to have it almost entirely to ourselves, without having to share it with a multitude of tourists. Besides, being just a 5 minute walk away meant that we could enjoy the glitz and glamour of Monaco, and then escape to our intimate haven perched on the mountain.

Each morning would consist of a lazy lie-in and a continental breakfast on the roof terrace, where we’d plan the day’s activities. Whether it was a hike up into the mountains to discover the untamed natural world, or a few hours of sunbathing on the pristine beaches, or a delicious meal and shopping session in Monaco, we always returned feeling rejuvenated and inspired. It was just what we’d needed, and our aparthotel in Beausoleil couldn’t have been more perfect!