Hotel du Clos

Rooms

Rooms are split between the main house and the bergerie (converted barn). All are beautiful, so it doesn’t really matter where you end up, though some have bathtubs, some have showers and some have both; if you have a preference, make this clear when booking. You get uncluttered French elegance, beautiful fabrics, crisp white linen and excellent beds. All rooms have garden views, air-conditioning, flatscreen TVs and fancy bathrooms.

Classic Rooms in the main house are spread over the first and second floors and some have views over the mountains. The 2 top-floor ones interconnect, though feel a little smaller due to their lower ceilings. In the bergerie, the remaining Classic Rooms are on the ground floor and open onto a lawned terrace with tables and chairs scattered about in the shade of olive trees. Inside, an easy elegance spreads itself from wall to wall: light colours, super beds dressed in white linen and padded quilts, perhaps a padded pink headboard or an apple-green bedside table.

Superior Rooms are larger and have spacious private balconies shaded by bougainvillea. We were in one of these and loved the baking theme that runs throughout, from the screen covered in puddings which separates the bed from the large tub, to the thick wooden chopping boards used as toppers for the bedside tables, and the rolling pin acting as a towel rail. The Panoramic Superior Room features a gorgeous terrace with far-reaching views and sun-loungers. We think these rooms are definitely worth the extra money. There's also a Triple Room with a rich red colour scheme and direct access to the garden.

Finally, there are 2 suites: Suite des Amoureux in the main house, and the Junior Suite in the bergerie. Both are huge rooms with spacious ensuites that have both a walk-in shower and bathtub; Suite des Amoureux has an in-room freestanding tub. If you want to splash out, this is where you do so (quite literally). There’s a grand bed and French windows. The Junior Suite opens onto an impressive balcony, while the Suite des Amoureux opens onto a private lawned terrace.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Cots available
• Minibar
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast (extra cost) is usually served on the shaded garden terrace, but there’s a pretty breakfast room in case the weather breaks. You get strong coffee, English tea, freshly squeezed orange juice, a basket of baguettes, croissants, pains aux raisins and pains au chocolat, a slice of cake or a muffin. On top of this you get fresh yoghurt and violet syrup (what a revelation; we’re never eating yoghurt without it again!), a fruit salad and freshly made waffles. You can pay a little more and get some cheese or some eggs, but the standard breakfast is more than enough to set you up for the day.

Just a short stroll away (200m) is the hotel’s restaurant, Le Clos Saint Pierre, for lunch and dinner. The prices are very reasonable, the food exceptional, and the atmosphere magical. There’s a no-choice menu du marché, but if there’s something on the menu you don’t eat, an alternative is always at hand. Note that the restaurant is shut on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

We sat on the pretty terrace, coated in grape vines and an assortment of climbing plants, at a candlelit table and we were given blankets in case we got cold! We enjoyed numerous canapés before tucking into a slither of Spanish omelette topped with goat’s cheese, followed by a choice between a delicate battered sea bream fillet in a broth and duck breast with potato and asparagus (both were delicious). We obviously had a cheese course (when in France…), but our favourite dish was dessert: a simple mix of fresh cake squares, yoghurt, cherries, raspberries and ice cream, with a side of more cake and chocolate macaroons. Staff were friendly and chatty, and head chef Daniel came to say hello, which we thought was a lovely touch.

Le Bistro du Clos, a further 200m away, is the more laid-back (and cheaper) sister restaurant of Le Clos Saint Pierre, serving drinks and simple, local dishes all day. The menu changes 4 times a year to reflect the seasonal produce on offer. Expect risotto with local ham, lamb stew, and pasta in a garlic and herb sauce. The bistro is shut on Sundays and Mondays.

The local villages of Valbonne, Biot, St Paul de Vence and La Colle-sur-Loup are all very pretty and offer lots of restaurant choices. You’ll find art galleries that double as restaurants, excellent pizza, and simple bistros scattered around the village squares.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Kids' meals
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Le Camp Romain is a forest famous for its walking trails, and it rises behind the village
  
• Head down to Cannes and Antibes for the best beaches (those at Nice are pebbled). La Garoupe on the Cap d’Antibes is pretty special and Salis Beach in Antibes is very nice
  
• There are lots of local markets. The best are at Biot and Valbonne, 2 beautiful old villages very close by
  
• Head to Grasse for the perfume factory (you can make your own scent), or to Bar-sur-Loup for the sweet factory and the waterfall
  
• Go to Nice for Matisse and Chagall; both have museums dedicated to their work in this region. There’s also the flower market and the Old Town, both worth a peek
  
• Head to St Paul de Vence - a nearby, picturesque hilltop village - which has a rich history in art. Matisse lived here and decorated the ceiling of the Rosary chapel, which is just out of town, but worth the detour. In town, try the famous Fondation Maeght with a large collection of works by Chagall, Braque, Giacometti and others
  
• Pop into Cannes, which is excellent for shopping and generally hanging out with the beautiful people. You can take daytrips to the local islands or even nip across to St Tropez on the ferry. It only takes an hour and a half, the journey is great, and you avoid the mad traffic jams at the other end
  
• Go skiing - believe it or not, you can ski in the mountains behind you in winter. A 45-minute drive (beautiful in itself) will take you up to Gréolières
  
• Play golf at one of the 10 courses within 10 kilometers. Those at Opio and Valbonne are closest; Royal Mougins and Cannes Country Club are the best (and most expensive)

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Shopping / markets

Kids

Hotel du Clos welcomes children and the pool is fenced; however this is perhaps not the most child-friendly location as there aren't many suitable activities close by. Children under 12 stay for free in their parents' bed, and cots can be provided; kids aged 12+ are charged for an extra bed in their parents' room.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

Most rooms can take an extra bed and a baby cot. One of the Superior Rooms has a small daybed which can sleep an extra person, and the Junior Suite (bergerie) has a sofabed in the sitting area which can sleep 2 young children or 1 teenager. The 2 Classic Rooms on the top floor in the main house can connect.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel du Clos is set in the small village of Le Rouret, high in the hills above Antibes in southeast France.

By Air:
The nearest airport is Nice (24km). Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving this airport.

From the Airport
You can take a taxi from Nice or you could hire a car (see below).

By Train:
If you'd prefer to travel overland from the UK, take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then change to a TGV (high-speed train) to Nice. The hotel is only 30km from there so the total journey is approx 6 hours, which makes it barely any longer than flying.

By Car:
You can pick up a hire car at the airport or TGV station; see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to France and getting around