Hotel & Spa de la Bretesche ★★★★★

My room, resplendent in red and gold with striking decoration, offered me all the style and comfort I would have dreamed of. What’s more, the lake view was incredible. It certainly put me in that fairy tale mood every morning as I drew back my long, flowing curtains and gazed out at the scene in front of me. A quick ‘mirror, mirror on the wall…’ in the spacious bathroom, and it was straight down for breakfast.

While the breakfast here may be a more traditional affair – breads and cakes straight from the boulangerie, fresh fruit, the finest French produce – the cuisine in general is another of the areas in which the Hotel & Spa de la Bretesche ***** can surprise and delight you. Firstly, in the range of options. There is the airy, attractive Club Brasserie, offering seasonal produce prepared to perfection, with an outstanding view through the floor to ceiling windows. Meanwhile, inspired by the sea and accompanied by some of the finest vintage wines, Chef Thierry Karakachian’s gourmet cuisine at the Montaigu is fully deserving of its award. An audacious talent, his bold twists, imaginative flavours and creative presentation know no bounds.

There are various ways to go about recovering from the inevitable excesses of the hotel’s extraordinary culinary experience. For me, it was straight out to the golf course in the morning. Teeing off among hydrangeas and rhododendrons, weaving my way through the woods and enjoying unbeatable views of the château and lake, it was not hard to see why this course has been listed as one of the most beautiful in the world. Whether you opt for 9 holes or the full 18, every hole is pure golfing perfection.

Meanwhile, my wife had succumbed to the temptation of the Cour Carrée spa. As we sat in the courtyard one evening, under the shade of the century-old lime tree, she regaled me with details of her experience – of the blissful feeling of the infrared sauna, unique in France, of the soothing fragrances and calming colours, of the heavenly revitalisation of her ‘multi-sensory cocoon’ treatment…

Discussion moved on to how we would fill the following day. Would we continue discovering the hotel’s unique charm? We could lounge by the pool, play a game of tennis, or explore the grounds with a walk or bike ride. Or should we move further afield? If we could tear ourselves away, the delights of Brittany awaited. With rugged coastline, idyllic beaches, pretty villages and picturesque countryside, the surrounding area has almost as much to wow you as the hotel itself. Excitement here is not hard to find, whether you stay in or go out - you can be sure that a stay at the Hotel & Spa de la Bretesche *****, so magical and inventive, so full of character and tradition, will send you home with memories to last a life time.