Oletta is an ancient village that brings together the 2 landscapes that unite this stunning island: mountain and sea. It stands high in the sky on the side of a hill with sweeping views shooting north to the coast at St Florent. As you’d expect, this 300-year-old nobleman’s house makes the most of its position. Manicured lawns roll down to a summer house, where breakfast is served overlooking the valley, while the swimming pool terrace climbs the hill with sunbeds on each level.
Inside the "Palazzu Serenu" (as the building is known), you'll find a serene white hotel that doubles as an art gallery. Each wall features the work of a different artist with sculpture, photography and contemporary art all on display. Bedrooms - white walls, white furniture, white pressed linen - are exemplary. Views float in from mountain and valley; those at the front look out to sea. You get smart wood floors, a couple of armchairs, contemporary art above your impossibly comfortable bed, then robes in wonderful bathrooms. Two garden rooms open onto small terraces, while sitting rooms in the suites come with long white sofas. St Florent, sandy beaches and Le Cap de Corse all wait.
Highs
- A beautiful part of Corsica, and heaps to do in the area: white-sand beaches, charming little villages, watersports, hiking in the mountains, and the magical Cap de Corse
- The 9 enormous white bedrooms, some with sea views, all with beautiful bathrooms; wonderfully romantic
- The manicured garden is a gorgeous place to linger, with its sparkling pool and pretty summer house
- ‘Easily accessible’ is not a phrase you often hear on Corsica, but Bastia airport to Oletta is a cinch (15km)
- Lots of beautiful beaches within easy driving distance
Lows
- There's no onsite restaurant or bar, and you'll need to drive to most nearby dining options
- Parking can be tricky: you might find a roadside space, otherwise try the free car park 100m away
- Rooms are expensive in high and peak season, but they do include breakfast - rare on Corsica
- The pool is unsupervised, and parents need to keep an eye on their kids at all times
Best time to go
Our top tips
- Boutique Hotel
- 9 rooms
- Breakfast only
- All ages welcome
- Closed: Mid Oct - late Apr
- Outdoor Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car recommended
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
The 9 rooms have a similar style, the principal ingredient being white. There are 5 different types, which are determined by size not view (the suites, for example, don’t look out to sea). All come with enormous beds dressed in crisp linen, art on the walls, and plenty of amenities (hairdryer, large TV, robes). Bathrooms - with big mirrors and delicious lotions - are divine. Less expensive rooms have showers; more expensive rooms have baths.
The 2 Classic Rooms are the least expensive, but they are large and the only ones with terraces, which catch the afternoon sun. We liked them a lot. They are set at the side of the house on the ground floor and have their own private entrance; this means they're closer to the lane that snakes through the village, but it's pretty quiet.
The 2 Deluxe Rooms offer long views over the valley to the bay or the high peaks, but a bit less space inside. We saw one: the bathroom was huge, the bedroom smaller, so it’s a question of priorities.
There are 2 Superior Suites - big rooms with high ceilings and a great sense of space thanks to banks of shuttered windows that flood the room with light. We stayed in one and loved it, even though we didn’t have a sea view (it looked onto the mountain instead). Big double doors open onto a seriously beautiful bathroom.
Two Deluxe Suites have separate sitting rooms. The one we saw had cute village views and a big bed resting against a wall of wood with mood lighting at its base. There's also a huge Family Penthouse Suite which can sleep 4 in comfort (thanks to a large double sofabed), or 2 in honeymoon splendour.
Features include:
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Central heating
- Hairdryer
- Safe box
- Toiletries
- TV
- WiFi
Eating
Breakfast (included) is an unhurried affair, served buffet style. You get a selection of local produce proudly sourced from Corsican farms, such as freshly baked bread, muesli and yoghurt, baskets of croissants, homemade cake, seasonal fruit, and tempting egg dishes (think Turkish, Benedict, etc.). There’s freshly squeezed orange juice, strong coffee and English tea to wash it all down. In good weather you eat in the summer house; in autumn you return to the main house and eat in the lounge.
If you’re heading up into the hills during the day, a beautifully wrapped picnic lunch can be prepared for you. Ask the staff for their local restaurant recommendations.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
Activities
- Hang out on the swimming pool terrace, where you can gaze out over the valley from the comfort of your sunbed. There’s a treatment room if you need a massage
- A tour of the Cap de Corse, the northern peninsula, is a must. Take the east coast up and the west coast down - that way you'll drive in the sun all day. Stop at Le Vieux Moulin in Centuri for lunch and eat pasta stuffed with langoustines. There are beaches all the way round and pretty villages to explore
- Drop down to St Florent and take a boat over to Plage du Lotu or Plage de Saleccia. Blue water and white sands wait. There’s a beach restaurant and a bar in summer
- All sorts of watersports can be arranged, from boat trips along the coast to diving, kayaking, windsurfing, sailing or jet skiing. If you want something more challenging, extreme sports are on hand: canyoning, paragliding, rock climbing or quad biking
- The mountains behind you are wild and wonderful, well worth a day of your holiday. There’s great walking, big views, and horses to ride through spectacular landscapes
- Corsica plays host to lots of music festivals over the summer, mostly from July to September. Highlights of the northeast include the Latin music festival in St Florent in August
- There’s golf at Borgo (close to Bastia) or Speloncato (inland). And you can also hunt up in the hills on a private estate; reception will advise
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Boat trips
- Fishing
- Golf
- Hiking
- Horse riding
- Jet skiing
- Kayaking
- Mountain biking
- Museums / galleries
- Paragliding
- Sailing
- Scuba diving
- Spa treatments
- Swimming
- Well being
- Windsurfing
Kids
Families are welcome, and the Family Penthouse Suite can take 2 kids (using a sofabed), but bear in mind that the general atmosphere is tranquil and more adult-oriented. Extra beds and baby cots can be provided in most rooms (on request and subject to availability).
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Extra Beds Available
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
NOAE by Emerald Stay is in the tiny inland village of Oletta, which stands in the hills 5km south of St Florent in northern Corsica, and 15km west of Bastia.
By Air:
Bastia - the island’s second city, with good flight connections to France - is 15km away. Alternatively try Calvi (75km).
From the Airport
We'd recommend hiring a car - see our car rental recommendations. Following the D82 road is preferable; other routes are beautiful but challenging to drive (winding mountain roads).
By Sea:
Ferries link Bastia or Calvi with Nice, Marseilles and Toulon in France, and with Livorno, Genoa and Savona in Italy.
Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Bastia Poretta 15.0 km BIA
- Calvi 75.0 km CLY
Other:
- Beach 10.0 km
- Shops 5.0 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km
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Our guests' ratings...
Based on 3 independent reviews from i-escape guests