Château l'Hospitalet Wine Resort

Between Narbonne and the Mediterranean Sea, in a lesser-visited part of the south of France, there’s a natural area full of vineyards and lagoons. It’s here, on an expansive estate with no neighbors in sight, that you’ll find Château l’Hospitalet Wine Resort. A rarity in a region where the land is protected and the vast majority of hotels are located in the city or on the beach, its existence is justified by its historic status. Château l’Hospitalet, once an 11th-century hospital, is now a boutique hotel with a vineyard-framed swimming pool, a spa, a high-end restaurant, a working winery, and scenic grounds to explore, glass in hand.

Some rooms and suites are housed in the original château, and the rest are in adjacent buildings fashioned out of the remains of an ancient winery. The aesthetic is elegant and minimalist, the sun-bathed interiors done up in an earthy color palette with crisp white cotton linens, wood furnishings, and parquet or travertine marble flooring. Modern bathrooms have walk-in showers and organic products, and in suites, feature freestanding tubs and oversized double vanities. Suites in the newer buildings also come with large private terraces overlooking the vineyards or the sea. Touring the winery is a must, as is a tasting in the cellar, though another of Château l’Hospitalet’s highlights is off the property — the luxurious beach club, open seasonally, just a few miles down the road.