La Côte Saint Jacques ★★★★★

Just an hour and a half from Paris, tucked away in the north of Bourgogne – a region renowned for its rich history and quaint villages – you will find this delightful four star hotel which is also a member of Relais & Château. It comprises several elegant buildings surrounded by greenery, with a garden à la française where flowers mix with topiary. Complete with the gurgling river Yonne flowing past the grounds, it’s the perfect place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for a few days. The hotel has 32 rooms and suites. Our deluxe bedroom is spacious and, like ours, most have a balcony or terrace which looks onto the River Yonne and the pretty gardens. The hotel has an air of refined luxury which is carried on into the bedrooms, creating a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Decorated in warm, muted colours, all rooms offer a seating area, minibar, Wi-Fi and bathroom complete with shower and bath. If you don’t want to sit in your room, there’s a winter lounge with fireplace and summer lounge with a terrace that you can relax in.

Enjoy breakfast in the comfort of your room before setting off to explore the old town of Joigny, officially classified as a city of art and history. Within the medieval ramparts you’ll find old churches, medieval houses with half-timbered facades, fine 16th & 17th century houses, and the Rennaissance-style Chatêau de Gondi. Take a tour of the Burgundy wine route, just 30km from the hotel, or head into cider country to the North where woodland gives way to reveal apple orchards in lush valleys. The countryside around here even inspired Turner to do some sketching.

For a relaxing afternoon you can’t beat the spa. The hotel’s Côte Coon spa is large, and is filled with plants, pebbles, stone and glass. Two floors are dedicated to wellbeing and relaxation and it was awarded the 2012 Relais & Chatêau spa trophy. Indulge with one of the treatments, for which they use Carita, Sensotek and Cinq-Monde products, or just surrender to your inner child who simply wants to explore all the different areas. There’s a hot tub from which you can enjoy stunning views of the river, a fabulously relaxing Turkish bath with a multi-coloured starry sky, and a 12m indoor pool which feels like the height of elegance to swim in as one side is lined with arches leading to windows overlooking the garden.

Feeling relaxed and refreshed, and ready to work up an appetite for dinner, we head to the fireplace in the hotel library to enjoy a glass of champagne and leaf through some of the hotel’s collection of over 500 cookery books. The there are two dining rooms with views onto the gardens and the Yonne; they are light, airy and elegant with the tables set well apart. The service is warm, but discreet and efficient at the same time. Each course is better than the previous, showcasing carefully chosen produce cooked with respect and skill and served on platters created by craftsman Jean-Michel Lorain. This being Burgundy, you’ll be enchanted by the range of wines on offer; each of the 750 choices has been carefully selected by the skilled sommeliers who work in conjunction with the chef. If you’re not a wine buff, fear not, as their skills will steer you faithfully through the local vineyards and you will certainly feel like one by the end of your stay.