Continuing her series of reviews on high-end luxury getaways, Gina Baksa heads to the south of France for a stay at the Domaine de Verchant – a grand boutique hotel near Montpellier with its own wine estate.
It’s winter. Yet the special light in the South of France is enchanting. A golden glow highlighting the honey-coloured stone mansion here at the Domaine de Verchant Hotel & Spa.
This magnificent wine estate-turned-boutique hotel is Montpellier’s only Relais & Chateaux property. Just 20-minutes from the Place de la Comédie, the main house and outbuildings are nestled among 17 hectares of sun-dappled vineyards.
The aroma of vine, oak and pine trees in the summer must be intoxicating. Today, north winds are upon us, yet the Domaine de Verchant’s public rooms and suites are well insulated and heated. I feel deliciously cocooned against the elements.
Near enough to Montpellier’s attractions yet far enough to feel timeless, the Domaine de Verchant is a luxury retreat in which to eschew all things digital, kick back and relax.
Owners Chantel and Pierre Mestre are both keen travellers, which is reflected in the hotel’s exquisite interiors: bamboo, marble, dark tiles, dressed stonework and whitewashed walls: a marriage of east and west aesthetics with exquisite local craftsmanship. A backdrop of stone walls, weathered shutters, wooden flooring and mosaics with sophisticated modern amenities.