Domaine de Verchant

An exuberantly designed, unashamedly hi-tech hotel with a top spa and super-cool service, set amid vineyards on the edge of avant-garde Montpellier

It comes as a surprise, after a string of roundabouts and suburban superstores, to find yourself driving up a chestnut-shaded drive to a handsome, butter-coloured 18th-century mansion, where gravelled paths lead past manicured lawns to a glass-fronted spa and conference centre. But if that's an eye-opener, the interiors will whip your breath away: designer chairs in black leather and white egg shapes, Poliform pouffes and chunky Nani Marquina rugs in orange and shocking purple, lamps which glow like a hundred baubles or arch overhead like a perspex willow; and outside, beyond the sleek chrome dining room, a shimmering, free-form pool backed by palms and giant urns. It's one of those wow moments.

Expect another when you open the door to your bedroom. Vast, snowy beds with corrugated black headboards, walls of bamboo encased in glass, bathtubs standing like an altar beneath exposed beams: it's clear that Raymond Morel – of Paris' Murano and Kube hotels – has had a blast here in the sun-kissed south. One room has a moon-sized bed for circular loving, another a hot tub on its private terrace, and all have gadgets and flatscreens galore (including one above the bath).

But it's not remotely pretentious. Owners Pierre and Chantal Mestre, who have a booming business in kids' clothing, made sure it was child friendly, with a little playground in the landscaped grounds. Young staff are friendly without being fawning while, in the kitchen (or more accurately the dining room, since cooking is done in front of your eyes), the acclaimed Pourcel brothers turn out playful haute cuisine and micro-buffet breakfasts.

Highs

• The spa, which comes with its own hydrotherapy pool, sauna and Anne Sémonin treatments
• Vineyards still surround the chateau, and you can taste their wines at the bar (one bottle will be in your room with our compliments)
• If you're looking for a stylish wedding or conference venue, this ticks all the boxes: top catering, cool accommodation and a lovely dining terrace for 50-150
• You're within 15 minutes' drive of Montpellier airport, and a similar distance from the centre of this arty university city
• The perfect spot to finish a Languedoc holiday with a couple of indulgent nights of spa, shopping and city strolls

Lows

• You might coincide with a large day-conference group, though that part is set slightly away from the hotel
• The location feels a bit random: you'll need to drive to get anywhere (including restaurants and the city centre)
• The beaches round here are disappointing: straight, gritty and backed by marshland
• Technophobes might struggle with the panoply of switches for lighting, blinds and 'shower experiences'