Domaine de la Baronnie

The grande dame in town, this mansion hotel oozes history, along with style and comfort in a park-like setting

Enter through heavy iron gates and step into some French history. La Baronnie is a stone mansion with 18th century French baronial pedigree. Unlike other ‘town-house-turned-hotels’ commonly found in St. Martin de Ré, the island's busy capital town, La Baronnie is much grander in scale. The hotel is imposing, inside and out. Think summer home away from the palace (albeit on a smaller scale) and you’ll be about right, though the ambience is not at all royal, more well-to-do, family friendly. (If you want something more intimate, book at the Baronnie's baby brother next door, Domaine du Bien-Etre.)

The Pallardys - he a famed osteopath, she a model turned interior designer - have sympathetically restored the place, keeping histories intact but not forgetting about guests' comfort. The accommodations have a French traditional decor, with bucolic views. After a day of discovering the best of Ré, including the town harbour (only moments away from the hotel), return to what feels like your own grand home, leaving the commoners behind, so to speak.

Highs

• The building is a historic gem with very interesting interiors and personal touches everywhere
• Quiet gardens to relax, away from the summertime crowds, lurking just outside the gates
• Great location, with harbour and all that town offers moments away
• The owners really know the island inside out and have lots of suggestions for your time there

Lows

• 18th century décor is a bit sober and heavy-looking, which may not appeal to those on a beach holiday
• Florence can sometimes be hard to track down - don't expect 24 hour room service