La Signoria

Style

Lush little manor

Setting

Corsican beauty spot

La Signoria hotel in Corsica truly delivers on setting, standing within gawping distance of the Bonifato Valley's forested mountains and strolling distance of the sea. Framed by conifers and palms, it’s a laid-back retreat dotted with original 18th-century features and works of art – say the zinc-topped bar, over which absinthe was once copiously slung in a former life, now a spot to clink sophisticated cocktails. In the fine dining restaurant, the chef takes rustic Corsican cookery and finesses it for modern travellers, terraces with views give romantic notions a place to play, and Calvi's beaches are just a short shuttle ride away – all in all, this is a dreamy, stylish place to wake up.

Facilities

Rooms

30, including five suites.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability. The hotel aims to have your room made up for your arrival but standard check-in is 3pm. There’s a ‘courtesy room’ with a shower for those with late departures or early arrivals.

More Details

Breakfast is included with some room rates. A city tax of €2.20 a person, each night will be charged to your bill.

Also

Two rooms have access for guests with limited mobility (one Suite Demeure and one villa).

Hotel Closed

The hotel closes from November to March.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

Pet Friendly

Pool

On-Site Restaurant

Room Service

Spa

At the Hotel

Spa, Jacuzzi, fitness centre, hammam, seven acres of grounds, helipad, DVD library, charged laundry service, WiFi throughout. In rooms: flatscreen TV with Chromecast capabilities, Bluetooth stereo, beach bags and towels, Nespresso machine and Mariage Frères teas, Casanera toiletries, air-conditioning, bottled water, bathrobes and slippers.

Our Favourite Rooms

We love room 18, a junior suite with cool birdcage lights and a deluxe bathroom (Corsican floor tiles, double sinks, serious bath). For privacy, the villas rock, with their own pools, petite gardens and terraces. All rooms are decked out in sophisticated peachy tones, original artworks, antique French chairs and elaborate headboards. Ample attention has been given to lighting – an assortment of floor lighting, bedside lamps and pendant lights will help you set the mood.

Poolside

The charming outdoor swimming pool (heated to a soothing 28 degrees and open from 8am to 8pm) is presided over by a stone water feature, flanked by shaded sunloungers and surrounded by pretty views of palm, pine and orange trees. There's also a private beach club at the nearby Calvi beach.

Spa

Decadent-looking Spa Casanera is an all-Corsican, all-monochrome affair; all products are organic, home-grown and largely inspired by traditional local practices, using fragrant herbal poultices and lots of local honey. Be scrubbed, wrapped and pummelled into bliss (we especially like the Japanese kobido massage technique), bubble in the Jacuzzi, steam yourself serene in the sauna and hammam, then finish off with a makeover with the beautician. Save your pennies to take home souvenir products: you’ll find yourself easily persuaded by the rich and alluringly titled Crema Preziosa. And, the gym has treadmills, rowers, bikes and more (plus personal trainers on request) for guests who want an adrenaline rush.

Packing Tips

Bring your walking shoes if you’re the type to be tempted into the mountains. The views from your little oasis are rather inviting.

Children

Kids can stay (over-13s are considered adults).

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

In the winter, families and couples alike covet the deliciously cosy spot by the fireplace. But, the view of the forested Bonifato mountains from the terrace will lure you out even in chillier months.

Dress Code

You’ll want to dress up a little, but the atmosphere isn’t serious. To illustrate this point, a portrait of a stocky, stuffy-looking gentleman with a moustache has been adorned with a large red nose and sits in pride of place.

Hotel Restaurant

Set in a grand room in the 18th-century manor, Restaurant Gastronomique La Signoria is where chef Stéphane Pitré plays gourmet god, composing divine tasting menus with dishes such as veal, roasted and then smoked with immortelle wood, served with celery confit and candied citron zest, it's a space for long adventurous dinners, but you can dip into Pitré's magical cookery at Le Bistrot dans l'Herbe, a more casual rustic lunching spot serving the likes of beetroot and watermelon gazpacho and grilled octopus tentacle with soy and vinegared rice.

Hotel Bar

The Sinibaldi bar is a richly decorated space strewn with chesterfield sofas in jarring fabrics, designer lampshades and stained-glass windows, with some Corsican touches, such as the antique zinc counter. The bar itself is made from an old absinthe distributor. In its prime, the bar’s patron would choose a number; if you spun the wheel and it landed on the same number, your absinthe would be on the house. Nowadays, you're more likely to drink champagne or one of the sophisticated cocktails. How could we resist the Mr Smith? A refreshing mix of gin, apple liqueur, mint and lemonade. Mocktails are equally well considered too, and take note of the roof, lined with three tiers of roof tiles – a Corsican tradition that indicates an important family lives within. And, there's a bar by the pool too (open 10am to 6pm).

Last Orders

Drinks are served until midnight. Breakfast runs from 7.30am to 10.30am, dinner from 7.30pm to 10pm. Lunch at the bistro is from 12 noon to 2.30pm.

Room Service

24-hour service brings drinks and food to your room.

Planes

The nearest airport is Calvi Sainte-Catherine; no airlines fly direct from the UK, but there are domestic arrivals and short hauls from neighbouring countries. The airport's free shuttle runs back and forth frequently. You could fly to Bastia-Poretta airport on the north east of the island - it’s an hour and a half away. Or, if you fly into Nice Côte d'Azur airport and catch an onward ferry, you’ll have more airlines to choose from.

Trains

The simplest route to Nice is by Eurostar to Paris or Lille, catching an onward TGV. It isn’t a short ride at around eight hours, but it’s do-able if you take an overnight breather before catching the ferry from Nice to Calvi.

Automobiles

The Nice to Calvi ferry carries cars, as does the ferry from Savona in Spain. Driving all the way to Corsica could save a lot of cash, but you’d need at least three days either side of your stay to make it pleasant – it’s about a 16-hour drive from London. Or, if you’d rather fly but do want to explore Corsica by car, you can pick up some wheels at the Calvi ferry port and at Bastia airport. Either way, to be on the safe side, make sure there are two breathalyser kits in the car at all times (French law) and that you have change for the tolls. The hotel has three carparks, all free.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Calvi, the little beach town and lofty 13th-century Genoese citadel is five minutes away (there's a free shuttle), and there are further beaches are a short drive away. Calvi takes its name from the Latin word ‘calvus’, meaning ‘bald’ – a reference to the bare rock the citadel is built on. Step within its protective walls for a potter around its cobbled passageways.

If you’re outdoorsy, Corsica’s got coast, mountains and forest aplenty. There’s a lot to be said for keeping it low-key, though, and little trips to the beach followed by cocktails on the terrace will do very nicely. Some of La Signoria's rooms overlook the Cirque de Bonifato, where mountains surge high above a carpet of pine trees. It’s the ideal springboard for forest forays; park up in the big (but expensive) car park and climb for two and a half hours to eat your picnic in a refuge.

Calvi Town beach is an attractive strips of white sand surrounded by woods, pines and cafés. But if you like to work for your downtime, Pointe de la Revellata is a collection of coves you can only reach by bike or on foot. If you’ve got your own wheels, check out Algaiola beach, 15 minutes away.

If you fancy seeing more of the island but don’t have a car, take the U Trinighellu train from Calvi to L’lle Rousse, a wistful – if juddery – 30-minute ride along the coast, with the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Or, if you want to stay put, the hotel holds yoga and guided meditation sessions in the spa.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .