5 rue General Lapasset, Saint Martin de Re, France | (937) 315-4602
Charming boutique hotel set in an 18th-century mansion
On quiet street in central Saint-Martin-De-Re close to the harbor
Gorgeous grounds with manicured lawns and lovely landscaping
Elegant guest rooms have contemporary style and traditional details
In-room flat-screen TVs and well-stocked minibars
Bathrooms have rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs
Pleasant heated outdoor pool with loungers and umbrellas
Pretty breakfast room with seasonal outdoor lunches (fee)
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Guest rooms lack kettles or coffeemakers
No full restaurant or bar
Breakfast costs extra
No fitness center or spa (planned to open 2017)
Set in a restored 18th-century mansion, the upscale La Villa Clarisse has nine guest rooms that blend classic furnishings with modern style. Decor is simple but elegant, with contemporary fabrics and country-chic details, plus flat-screen TVs, well-stocked minibars, and free Wi-Fi, but rooms lack kettles or coffeemakers. Spacious, attractive bathrooms have rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs with traditional fixtures. Some guest rooms open to a quiet shared patio that connects to beautiful garden grounds where snacks are served in warmer months. There's a heated outdoor pool and a breakfast room, but no full restaurant or bar. A fitness center and spa is due to open in late 2017. Travelers looking for a stay with a restaurant can consider La Villa Clarisse's sister property, Hotel de Toiras.
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Scene
Airy, sophisticated boutique hotel in a restored 18th-century mansion
Renovated in 2011, La Villa Clarisse occupies an 18th-century mansion that was once the family home of Ferdinand Auguste Lapasset, a French general named on the plaque above the front door. Through the entryway, a small monochrome lobby has the whitewashed walls and ceiling that are characteristic of the island, with a black reception table and a white stone fireplace. A hall leads straight to a back door and to the heart of the property -- a quiet patio that was once part of a monastery, and beautiful gardens where olive trees and rose bushes set a romantic scene. The hotel attracts vacationing couples, and some families.
Location
On a quiet street in the center of town, walking distance to the harbor
La Villa Clarisse is in the center of Saint-Martin-De-Re, about a three-minute walk to the harbor, and another minutes' walk along the pedestrianized promenade to its sister property, Hotel de Toiras. Restaurants, bars, and boutiques can be found all along the promenade. The 15th-century Ernest Cognacq Museum and the silk prints of Atelier Du Pied D Alouette are both about a six-minute walk away on narrow, cobbled streets. The closest La Cible beach is just under a 20-minute walk away. The beautiful village of La Flotte is an 11-minute drive, and the half-timbered houses and Renaissance architecture of La Rochelle are just over 30 minutes away by car. La Rochelle Airport is about a 20-minute drive.
Rooms
Elegant rooms with minibars, rainfall showers, and separate soaking tubs
The four guest rooms and five suites at La Villa Clarisse all have views of the garden or the patio (some on the ground floor open to the latter). Charming decor is country-chic, with varying architectural details that include exposed wood beams, partially vaulted ceilings, and decorative fireplaces. There's white-painted original woodwork, bedding with attractive, modern prints, and contemporary lighting. The standard rooms have king beds and writing desks, and upgraded rooms have seating areas with white tables and stylish black chairs. Suites have larger living areas with couches and tables, and some have separate living rooms with sofa beds. Free Wi-Fi comes standard, along with flat-screen TVs and well-stocked minibars, but there are no kettles or coffeemakers. Large bathrooms have tiled rainfall showers and separate soaking tubs, traditional fixtures, and upmarket bath products.
Features
Heated outdoor pool, gardens with loungers and tables, breakfast room, and free Wi-Fi
The heart of La Villa Clarisse is its outdoor patio and gardens, with a mix of seating in quiet corners and loungers on a manicured lawn. The heated outdoor pool has a stone sundeck with black wicker chairs and sun loungers under shade umbrellas. There's no full restaurant, but a stylish breakfast room has table seating and a comfortable couch in front of a fireplace, and breakfast is served there for an extra charge. Seasonal outdoor dining, dubbed "Luncheon on the Grass," takes place in the gardens in spring and summer, with a limited menu of finger foods such as tomato and chevre tartines and ham sandwiches, and larger plates like truffle risotto and beef tartar with french fries. The hotel's living room, with a fireplace and windows overlooking the garden, can be booked as a meeting room for up to 25 people, and a spa and gym are slated to open in late 2017. Airport transfer is available for a fee, and Wi-Fi is free throughout.
