Hotel Artemisia
Bastelica, Corsica, France
Small, quirky mountain hotel with cool design and fantastic views
OK, so you’re more likely to stick to the coast and roast
away on those magical beaches, but if you take a moment to look
behind you, you’ll always find a mountain or two looming in
the distance. The truth is, Corsica is an island of mountains, and
while most tourists spurn them for the coastal plains, this is
where to come if you want to discover the Corsican soul. It goes
without saying they are utterly magnificent: switchback roads,
wind-sculpted peaks, ancient villages teetering on the side of
steep hills, shepherds herding 200 sheep down a mountain pass. As
for the light, it plays in the valleys with infinite wonder: the
beauty here is divine.
This cool little hotel in the village of Bastelica gives you the
chance to explore in comfort. Newly built in 2010, it mixes hip
design with old-fashioned mountain simplicity. Downstairs, walls of
glass ensure you never lose the view; upstairs, beds are slotted
into bay windows that frame the mighty mountains. The ground floor
is open-plan: reception gives way to a small library/sitting room,
which, in turn, gives way to a splendid restaurant. Doors open onto
a lovely garden - tiny lawn, stone terrace, even a plunge pool, and
10-mile views. Scale a peak, spot the sea below, then drop down to
Ajaccio (40 minutes by car) for a swim. There are ski slopes up the
road, too.
Reviewed by Tom Bell
Last updated 16 April 2012
Highs
- Lying in bed and watching the sun come up over the mountains - just magnificent
- The winding roads, the chestnut forests, the fabulous hiking, the tiny villages. And Le Lac de Tolla 2km away, where you can swim, kayak or hire a pedalo
- The small garden with its huge views - a lovely spot for breakfast in summer
- Prices are excellent by comparison to other hotels on the island
- Ajaccio - only 40 minutes by car - for the airport, beaches, shops and Napoleon’s house
Lows
- You'll need a car to get here
- None of the 10 bedrooms are big, and there are no twin rooms
- No lunches served and the restaurant's dinner menu is set, but staff will discuss dietary options with you in advance. Note that dinner is not served on Mondays, September-June
- The baths/showers, thinly disguised by a half-wall but basically in your bedroom - not to everyone’s taste
- In some bedrooms the mountain view is obscured by garden trees
