Michelin-starred
restaurant with terrace seating
Smart,
contemporary rooms with high-end amenities
Sleek bathrooms
with Italian showers and high-end toiletries
Modern spa area
with steam bath, sauna, and hot tub
Private, secure
parking free of charge
Free Wi-Fi
throughout
Half-board rates
available
Uninteresting
area away from center
Some noise in
rooms
Wi-Fi can be patchy
The 19-room Ivan Vautier
Hotel is a luxury boutique built around its renowned restaurant. Set on a somewhat drab, residential street away from central Caen, location
certainly isn't its selling point -- though rooms are smart and appropriately high-end
with excellent bathrooms and amenities. The spa area is good enough for the
caliber of hotel (with steam bath, sauna, and hot tub) but the restaurant is, of course, the highlight and the food
certainly won't disappoint. Overall, the hotel is swanky without quite hitting
seriously upscale, but reasonable rates do tend to reflect this.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Contemporary hotel focused on the gastronomy of its acclaimed restaurant
Although not the
easiest place to find, once you do there's no mistaking the Ivan Vautier Hotel
-- on an otherwise unexciting street, an unassuming terrace of houses has been
converted into this restaurant-hotel property with a bold, wave-roofedextension topped with international flags and fronted with its signature lime green
signage. The hotel was added in 2009, but the restaurant dates back to the late 1990s and has established itself as amongst the world's
finest -- attested by its Michelin star. Stepping into the lobby, the
gastronomic focus is immediately clear with several shelves of high-end liquors
and gourmet ingredients and products available for guests to peruse and
purchase. Interiors are smart contemporary with an artistic as well as culinary
emphasis, featuring paintings and modern art pieces predominantly by local
artist Catherine Riff. Low-it hallways
lead to a furnished courtyard as well as a small, secluded garden area for
al fresco dining. The mood is intimate -- there are just 19
rooms -- and guests arrive to a handwritten welcome envelope providing them
with information about the restaurant's specials. After all, the food is why most
people come here.
Location
Situated in a quiet residential area 10 minutes' drive from Caen's historic center
The hotel is located on a fairly busy road in a quiet,
residential area about 10 minutes' drive from the center of Caen -- the capital
of France's Lower Normandy region. There's not a great deal within walking
distance though buses into town are quick and easy. Beside the historic city
center -- featuring the impressive Caen Castle -- guests can visit the D-Day
beaches about 25 minutes' drive away while Bayeux and its famous tapestry is
just 20 minutes away by car.
Rooms
Smart, contemporary rooms with appropriately high-end amenities
The hotel has 15
rooms and 4 suites in total, all of which are decorated with smart,
contemporary styling, simple modern furnishings, and dotted with bronzesculptures. Amenities are what you'd expect for a hotel of this caliber -- free
Wi-Fi, minibars, and flat-screen TVs with cable and DVD players (and DVD library
available). Sleek, tiled bathrooms come with robes, slippers, and high-end bath
products -- walk-in Italian showers and tubs with bath salts are nice touches. One
downside is despite double glazing, road-facing rooms can suffer from some
traffic noise. Poor Wi-Fi connectivity has also been reported in some rooms.
Features
Michelin-starred dining with open kitchen and al fresco terrace
The main focus of
the hotel is its Michelin-star restaurant, where guests can enjoy a breakfast
comprising locally sourced and homemade products (it's not generally
included, though half-board rates are available). The restaurant also offers
regionally inspired lunch and dinner menus as well as an open kitchen and an
outdoor terrace for al fresco dining. The hotel's sleek, contemporary spa
provides a hammam, sauna, and hot tub, as well as massage and beauty treatments
(booked in advance). A private and secure parking lot is free of charge to guests
and free Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel.
