Hotel des Loges

A haven of contemporary chic in olde worlde Honfleur, the prettiest harbour town in northern France

Historic Honfleur is best known for its timber-framed houses and medieval charm. So this haven of designer chic, with its clean lines and soothing tones, comes both as a surprise and a breath of fresh air. Contemporary oak furniture, commissioned to fit the limited and often irregular space of the 14 rooms, is married with straw-coloured or beige walls and fabrics in ochre or storm-grey. It’s the creation of tireless Catherine Chouridis, who bought 4 fishermen’s cottages in this central Honfleur street in 2001 after giving up working in film when she had a child.

Inspiration came from her travels worldwide. "I knew I wanted to make something special," she says. "I was confident that people would find me if this place was different." And so they have. Her skill has been in combining old and new: ancient roof beams and stair banisters are preserved, but lighting and bathroom fixtures are confidently modern. In fact they became so popular that she now sells them to guests to take home.

Highs

• Superb location, a stone’s throw from the Eglise Ste Catherine, several gastronomic restaurants and Honfleur’s picturesque internal harbour
• This hotel is run to suit guests not the other way round: breakfast is served until midday, and they are very flexible on check-in times
• Catherine is a practical, welcoming host for whom nothing is too much trouble
• Easy to get to from the UK – Le Havre port is 20 mins away across the Seine estuary

Lows

• Rooms on the street are on the small side, and despite double glazing can be noisy at certain times of day
• Breakfasts is fairly light – there are no cooked eggs or cereals, but the fresh fruit salad is great
• Parking nearby can be problematic, although there’s a free car park 300m along the street