Hôtel de Tourrel

If you’ve seen Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night or Field With Poppies, you already know Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. After the unpleasantness with the ear, the Dutch painter checked himself into a mental institution here, and painted more than a hundred local scenes in the year that followed. It’s a quiet town that’s become a popular getaway for artistically minded travelers with a few euros to burn; Hôtel de Tourrel is one of a few boutique hotels that’s popped up alongside the art galleries and bistros in the historic center.

The building is an elegantly restored 17th-century mansion. The hotel’s bones are grand and old-fashioned, with high ceilings and decorative molding, but the look is stripped down, quite literally — the architect owner uncovered the original stucco walls and ceilings, previously concealed beneath layers of paint. The owners opted for quality over quantity, transforming the manor’s 24 rooms into just nine suites. The result of this thoughtful renovation is lovely, indeed: the spacious dimensions of each suite are downright civilized, and the mid-century design scheme brings a cool, understated sensibility to an otherwise romantic interior. Earth tones and crisp whites are the thing here, though sixties-inspired furniture and the manor’s original wooden shutters add charm and character. Parquet floors, king-sized beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, and stone floors — heated from beneath in colder weather — are standard amenities, as are Apple TVs and L’Occitane bath products. Some suites have free-standing bathtubs, others have private terraces. Numéro Trois features an ancient stone wall; Numéro Sept is a duplex with views over the town from both levels.

Hôtel de Tourrel, has an excellent restaurant, too, while the sleek wood-lined wine bar is an ideal place to pop open a bottle of champagne or sample a few local varietals before venturing into one of the most famous wine regions in the world. There are 34 wine appellations within easy distance of the hotel. That may or may not mean much to you, but rest assured it means something to the French. You might not see a field filled with poppies or a spectacular night sky — it’s not clear how much Van Gogh’s paintings were inspired by memory or imagination — but you’ll probably have to compete for one of these seven suites.

Please note: Hôtel de Tourrel is open seasonally from mid-March thru late October.

How to get there: Hôtel de Tourrel is located approximately 75 km by car from Marseille Provence Airport via A7/D99A and 105 km from Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport via A9/A54. Alternatively, guests may take the TGV to Avignon station (approximately 20 km away) or the Aix-en-Provence station (approximately 75 km away).