This is a tale of two hotels. My closest friend had a major birthday and so, as a treat, we took her to the South of France. We started at an old favourite, La Colombe d’Or (la-colombe-dor.com) in St-Paul de Vence – in my view the loveliest hotel in the world.
It dates back to 1931 when it was a tiny Provençal auberge frequented by local artists. Strange to think you might wander in and rub shoulders with Picasso and Matisse. You’ll still find superb art on the walls, not hung ostentatiously as if in a museum but at random; over your bed, in the corner of the dining room.
That’s the wonder of this place. With its informal, friendly service and unapologetically rough edges, it feels more like…
This article was originally published by Telegraph.co.uk. Read the original article here.