Hotel Artemisia

Rooms

It’s not so much what you find in your room, but what you find outside it. The main design feature is a big square window, through which the mountains loom majestically. Your bed is positioned directly in front of it, thus affording rather good views. You get white walls to soak up the light, smart ceramic tiles underfoot, then a shower/bath behind a half-wall in each room; you can gaze out on the mountains while having a soak.

Other than that simplicity rules. You get a private loo, a small desk, storage space and built-in wardrobes. You’ll find a flat-screen TV, too, but you really don’t need it - the pictures in your window are much more entertaining with the light in the valley changing constantly. You also get WiFi, but if you're likely to use it, ask for a room above the router!

Of the 10 rooms upstairs, the 8 Standard rooms are quite small. Two rooms are bigger - those at each end, the Deluxes - but they’re not that much bigger and if you’re only here for a couple of nights, there’s no great need to chase the extra space. Having said that, they do have room for 2 small armchairs, and double-aspect windows bring in more light.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast (extra cost) is served in the restaurant or out on the terrace in good weather. You get croissants and rolls, homemade jams, fromage blanc and village apples. There’s orange juice and strong coffee, too. This is the perfect way to start a day.

At dinner you eat from a daily set menu. While the choice may be limited, it’s carefully crafted by the chef to make the most of the products on offer each season, giving you a taste of authentic Corsican food; specific diets can also be catered for if discussed in advance. We had a very tasty meal: chard cooked in filo pastry served hot with a spicy sauce; beef entrecôte with a gratin of vegetables; then an excellent tarte aux pommes with vanilla ice cream. The food is not only local, it’s frequently organic - much of what you eat comes from the hills around you, and if you potter about the village you can’t miss the apple trees sagging under the weight of their fruit.

Tasting platters (Corsican charcuterie, cheeses, local vegetables) are available on days when the hotel's restaurant is closed, and there are a few eateries in the village - staff can make recommendations and bookings. You’re also not far from Ajaccio, so drop down one night and discover its excellent restaurants. Try A Nepita (great Corsican food cooked by an English chef); Altru Versu (the freshest seafood) or Le Temps des Oliviers (delicious pizzas). Finally, Le Grand Café Napoleon is worth a visit for its period interiors and old-school food.

For other restaurant recommendations in Corsica, see our Destination Guide.

Features include:

• Bar
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Restaurants nearby
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• The mountains are yours to roam. Hike through chestnut forests, bump into free-range goats, climb a peak for fabulous views
  
  
• If hiking sounds a tad too energetic, then saddle up - there’s a stable in the village. You can ride in the mountains in the morning, then drop down to Ajaccio and ride on the beach in the afternoon
  
  
• Head downhill a couple of kilometres to the village of Tolla and its enormous mountain lake. You can kayak, swim, even set sail on a pedalo. There are a couple of cafés and a pizza restaurant, too
  
  
• Spend a day driving through the mountains. You’ll have the road to yourself, the scenery is majestic, and you’ll spot the odd hunter up in the hills or chance upon locals selling irresistible mountain food: fantastic cheeses, freshly buzzed honey, Corsica’s legendary charcuterie. There’ll be brief encounters with cows on the road and tiny villages for a rustic lunch. A fantastic day awaits
  
  
• Potter down the mountain and see lovely Ajaccio, the capital of the island. There’s loads to do: glitzy shops, good beaches, café terraces. You can visit the house and birthplace of Corsica’s most famous son, none other than Napoleon Bonaparte
  
  
• Finally, there are ski slopes 15km above the village that open in winter

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Shopping / markets
• Skiing
• Swimming

Kids

Children are welcome and stay for free in baby cots and for a small charge in extra beds in Deluxe rooms only. Some rooms are small.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The 2 Deluxe Rooms can each fit a rollaway bed for a child; all rooms can fit a baby cot.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The hotel stands in the mountain village of Bastelica, 40km northeast of Ajaccio in central Corsica.

By Air:
Ajaccio's Napoleon Bonaparte Airport (35km away) is the island’s busiest, though it is never that busy. Bastia Poretta Airport has international traffic, too. Click on the links below for a list of airlines serving these airports.

From the Airport
We'd say hiring a car is a necessity, both to get here and to get around. See our car rental recommendations.

By Boat:
Ajaccio is well connected by ferry. You can depart from Nice, Marseilles and Toulon. The crossing takes 6-12 hours depending on where you depart and who you sail with. You can also cross to Porto Torres on Sardinia (4 hours).

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Corsica