Le Domaine aux Quat'Saisons

An elegant village retreat for sybarites and foodies, with serene gardens and a pretty pool

At first sight, Quat’Saisons is right in synch with the local Languedoc vernacular: an elegant 3-storey maison de maître with sky-blue shutters and a gravel path flanked by 2 enormous maritime pines which cuts across a formal garden towards the surrounding Minervois vineyards. The house dates back to the 1880s and many of its original features are still in place: ornate balustrades, panelling and cornicing, eye-catching encaustic tiled floors and a series of flamboyant marble fireplaces.

But when David and Graeme came to decorating their Midi retreat they looked east for inspiration and have created a series of living spaces which stylishly marry things oriental and occidental. Prints from Japan, thankas (religious paintings) from Tibet, Persian carpets and Thai silks are matched against Italian chandeliers, deco bedroom suites and 'arts & crafts' tables and chairs. And it all works brilliantly well. The mood is festive, the food fabulous and your hosts take tangible pride in welcoming you to their delectably comfortable village hideaway.

Highs

• You’re at the edge of a typical Minervois village yet a walled garden and the vineyard impart a really pastoral vibe
• Oodles of flair and decorative savoir-faire: every corner of the house, from the bedrooms to the library, has been conceived with good looks in mind
• Great food which pays full lip service to the regional cuisine of the Midi
• Welcoming to everyone - straight and gay - though blissfully free of kids under 14
• Friends and families can stay in a 3-bed apartment

Lows

• Expect to hear some passing traffic if you book a street-facing room, although double glazing and internal shutters minimise this
• Dinners are only available 3 nights a week so be prepared to eat out some evenings
• Although the hotel offers a transfer service from the airport, you'd need a car to visit Carcassonne and the beaches
• In winter, dinners are normally served at a long communal dining table: I loved this but it's not for introverts