ESCAPADE

A short crossing and here we are in splendid natural surroundings and the discreet charm of a top luxury hotel.

About 200km from the Côte d’Azur and Marseille (the shortest distance from the mainland is 170km) is an island they call the “isle of beauty“. To reach it the ferry must pass through a scattering of islets and jutting rocks left over from the chaos of Earth’s ancient times. Then, as if sheltered by them, the dream beaches appear, dotted along a magnificent coast. The countryside inland is just as splendid, with mountains, woodland, open country and hilltop villages. Corsica, barely 184km from its northern tip to its southern toe, boasts a multitude of breathtaking landscapes. And the best of the island’s hotels are as superb as the surroundings. Calvi, Saint-Florent, Olmeto, Porto-Vecchio, Porticcio: let’s take a tour of some gems of luxury hospitality.

Porto-Vecchio: luxury as far as the eye can see.
Only 5-star hotels will do! We’ve made a draconian selection, choosing only hotels that will astonish in every way, from their surroundings to the range of their services. We start in the south, at the Don César in Porto-Vecchio, which has its own private floating pontoon, no more than 39 rooms and suites, but no fewer than two restaurants and three swimming pools, a Nuxe spa and a fitness space. All this set in a 2ha pine wood beside the sea, with a remarkable view of the Porto-Vecchio golf course. Also in Porto-Vecchio are the Casadelmar and La Plage Casadelmar, luxurious hotels in contemporary design. The Casadelmar proudly announces its membership of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World chain. As well as a Michelin-starred restaurant, it boasts 34 luxury rooms and suites, with three suites in a separate villa that has its own pool. La Plage Casadelmar, a few cable-lengths away (five minutes by boat), is a large holiday house with 12 rooms and 3 suites, renovated throughout in 2012. At the Casadelmar, don’t miss the new wellness space (with treatments by British brand ESPA) or dinner in the gastronomic restaurant, where chef Fabio Bragagnolo is now at the helm.

Beside sparkling waters
The Le Maquis hotel in Porticcio, on the southern side of the Gulf of Ajaccio, has a mere 18 rooms and seven suites. But what rooms! Add to that two pools (one indoors), a highly reputed restaurant, a terrace overlooking the Sanguinaires islands and a private beach tucked away in a creek. Paradise is the only word for it. The Marinca Hôtel & Spa in Olmeto, five minutes from Propriano, overlooks the Gulf of Valinco. Following a major makeover, it offers a stupendous setting for your stay. As does the Sofitel Golfe d’Ajaccio Thalassa Sea & Spa with its newly-refurbished interior, private beach and seawater swimming pool.

Calvi: history and luxe
In line with local tradition, the La Signoria hotel on the edge of Calvi has kept things intimate: just 29 rooms, suites and casetas. Total escape guaranteed, with 18th-century elegance and views of the Bonifato valley and the sea. La Signoria is a Relais & Châteaux hotel and a member of the Cercle des Grandes Maisons Corses. The cherry on the cake is the organic spa, offering treatments inspired by the age-old beauty rituals of Corsica’s women. Another Relais & Châteaux hotel in Calvi, La Villa, underwent some major changes in 2011. It boasts five pools and this year it is hosting two artistic ventures: a continuation of its Nuits de La Villa series of recitals and concerts in an open air amphitheatre, and La
Vill’Art, a permanent exhibition of work by its favourite artists in the lounges.