Airelles Gordes, la Bastide

Airelles Gordes, La Bastide is a stunningly gorgeous hotel perched perfectly on a hill, overlooking a valley in Provence. Hotel: The hotel is a maze of connected buildings. It’s very vertical, which it has to be given the hillside setup. Walls are thick stone. Interiors are richly decorated in a sort of old French opulent-maximalist style. Beauty is constant everywhere. Rooms: We had a two-bedroom, two-bath suite with an amazing terrace facing the valley. It was spectacular. It was hard to believe, really. Our sons had a small room facing the street. The small room was very nice, but I strongly recommend that you reserve a room facing the valley. Trust me: It’s worth it. Don’t skimp at this price point. Just go all in. Food: Breakfast is in the main restaurant and everyone sits on the terrace outside. The breakfast spread is great. They have a buffet of everything and also a small a la carte menu. We weren’t able to eat outside at dinner at this same restaurant because of the wind, which seems to be a regular issue in the evenings in the region. Sitting inside is nice enough, though. The dinner menu is decidedly French. The hotel has at least one more restaurant on the grounds — also French — and Airelles operates an Italian restaurant in Gordes. There are other restaurant options in Gordes as well. Make reservations. We worked with the concierge before we arrived. Service: This hotel is the kind of place where they can and will do anything for you. We had vans take us around the area. We shipped ceramics. We ordered all manner of food and beverages to the room and it all came just lighting quick. Tipping goes a long way, but service is amazing no matter what. The general manager is onsite and interacts with guests. Locale: You can get here on a fast train from Paris in under three hours (and then a short hotel van from Avignon). Marseilles is the closest major airport. Provence is lovely. Several villages and towns and easily accessible. Roussillon is pretty but very busy. Lacoste is artsy. Our favorite was Saignon; the square was just perfect and there were almost zero tourists. St. Remy was a bit of a letdown but that may have been based on expectations. La Nerth, a winery, was amazing and well worth a visit. The abbey just down the road from the hotel is a must-see. Activities: We played croquet. We admired the swimming pool and could not believe how dreamy and beautiful it was. We stood on our terrace in awe. We did a kayaking trip from Cassis. We did a private picnic where we arrived in a vintage Citroen 2CV and the Airelles staff had set out champagne and delicious hors d'oeuvres. It was windy but amazing. Highly recommend! Overall: Airelles Gordes is as close to perfect as you going to get for a luxury hotel anywhere in the world. The reviewers here who give less than five stars are just ridiculous. Is it expensive? Yes! Can you quibble? Sure: The hot water was slightly less than ideal during one shower and the light in a closet w