In the know

Our favourite rooms: The Cole Porter junior suite is a sprawling, luxurious expanse on the top floor, with beautiful views of the gardens, to be enjoyed from the private terrace. A warm palette of peach, gold and terracotta offsets the antique furniture in heavy, liquorice-dark wood. The sitting area has a big working fireplace, and the marble bathroom has his-and-hers sinks, so you won’t have to queue to clean your teeth. The James Baldwin room, with its stone walls and muted hues, is good for the little ones as it comes with two double beds. An Oriental bust keeps watch over proceedings.
Packing tips: Bring a notepad so you can jot down recipes after exploring the local eateries; a straw boater to shade your face; and forget stockpiling perfume at duty free – treat yourself to a new one from the nearby perfumeries.
Also: Ever the socialite, the Bastide has organised cricket matches and an opera on the premises in the past. Up the relaxation with an in-room spa treatment.

Need to know, Bastide Saint Mathieu, Côte d'Azur, France

Current offers

Smith card offer: A bottle of Valcolombe Cuvée Baroque or champagne. Stay three to four days and make your own fragrance at Galimard perfumery in Grasse. For bookings of five days or more, you’ll also be treated to dinner (excluding wine) at a local restaurant.

More photos

Bastide Saint Mathieu

Côte D'azur (east), France[view map]

Style: Rustic yet regal villa
Setting: Green, green Grasse

Lush gardens and fragrant countryside surround Bastide Saint Mathieu, a stately historic house with grandeur in spades, and charm by the bucketload. Inside, the hotel is a blend of the traditional and the exotic: vases of fresh-cut flowers and blue and white tiles sit alongside inscrutable Asian busts, heavy antique furniture and vivid paintings.

Need to know

Rooms: Six, including one suite and four junior suites.
Rates: €250–€380, including breakfast; excludes tax.
Check-out: Noon, but flexible, depending on availability; earliest check-in 2pm.
Facilities: Gardens, boules piste, library including DVDs, and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, DVD player and free bottled water.
Poolside: The outdoor pool is tucked away on a little hill behind the house, shielded by the surrounding hedges. There are loungers to recline on, and a pretty shaded pergola with wooden tables and chairs.
Also: Pets are welcome and there’s a relaxed policy towards smoking: outside is best, but inside won’t be frowned upon. Rooms are wheelchair-accessible.

Food & drink

Hotel restaurant: Although this is a B&B affair, private dinners can be arranged upon request, and served up in the small dining room.
Dress code: Relaxed and floaty, with short sleeves and low hemlines so you can tan as you eat outside.
Top table: If you’re booked in to have dinner and it’s a balmy night, sit out on the terrace, or in the pretty cuisine d’été, a patio area with a roof supported by wooden beams, beside the gardens.
Last orders: Breakfast is served between 8.30am and 10.30am, and you can request on-the-hoof snacks throughout the day.
Room service: There's no room service as such.
Hotel bar: Despite the lack of bar, if you ask the owners nicely, you’ll get whatever you’re thirsting for

Also worth knowing

Children: Little Smiths are welcome, with cots provided for €20, extra beds for €40 and babysitting for around €15 an hour.
Weddings: This hotel is suitable for weddings. More…

Smith Members offer

A bottle of Valcolombe Cuvée Baroque or champagne. Stay three to four days and make your own fragrance at Galimard perfumery in Grasse. For bookings of five days or more, you’ll also be treated to dinner (excluding wine) at a local restaurant.

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Book this hotel

To book this hotel please click here, or contact our travel team on 1 866 610 3867.