Castel Brando

We know more or less what to expect from a castle hotel on the French mainland, but like everything in Corsica, Castel Brando is a little bit different. This 19th-century house occupies an aristocratic mansion in the old fishing village of Erbalunga, on the Cap Corse, the peninsula on the island’s north coast. Rather than dazzle you with its opulence, it’ll seduce you with its quiet charm.

The hotel’s rooms are divided between the demeure, the old house, and the orangerie, and a couple of outlying villas. The old house has, as is typical, perhaps a touch more character, but the differences are subtle, and shouldn’t put you off the orangerie or the villas. All are stylish, featuring classic elements arranged with a contemporary eye, and all are luxurious without being ostentatious or excessive.

There’s a heated pool, a jacuzzi, a stylish little spa, and plenty of space for relaxation, from the patio to the gardens to the lounge inside the main house. And while the village of Erbalunga has plenty to recommend it, you’ll be grateful for Les Américains, Castel Brando’s restaurant, which makes the most of the traditions and materials of Corsican food and wine.