Ile de Re, FranceSaint-Martin-de-Re
La Baronnie Hotel & Spa
Marie-Antoinette's island mansion
Saint-Martin-de-Re Ile de Re, France
Opened
2010
Price
$$$
Rated for
Heritage Design LocalOutside the door
Marie-Antoinette's island mansion
King Louis XVI bought the estate for Marie-Antoinette, and it now runs like a quiet village manor behind stone walls.
“Hotel La Baronnie calls itself a ‘village within a village.’ It’s an 18th-century estate with 23 uniquely designed rooms and suites.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
An eighteenth-century royal estate bought by King Louis XVI for Marie-Antoinette in 1785.
Listed
Wood-beamed ceilings, salvaged eighteenth-century timbers, and antique furnishings frame the guest rooms.
Listed
Walled courtyards and stone gardens set inside Saint-Martin-de-Ré, steps from the historic harbour.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
Today, that mansion is La Baronnie Hôtel & Spa, a boutique hotel with all the elegance of days gone by — grand staircases, period woodwork, velvet sofas, an old stone fireplace.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
The harbour and Vauban fortifications are a five-minute stroll away, and cycling paths connect the surrounding island villages.
The rooms
Antique furnishings and exposed beams fill the bedrooms, while the standalone lodge is built from salvaged eighteenth-century timber.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Red parasols and wooden loungers border the heated outdoor pool, equipped with a counter-current swim jet.
The spa
An indoor lap pool with balneotherapy jets sits under timber ceilings, and the dedicated cabin uses Cinq Mondes rituals.
At the table
Breakfast is laid out in the burgundy dining room, and Le Bar 1721 pours evening drinks beside the garden.
How it began
The estate was seized during the French Revolution and later housed a girls' school before a ten-year restoration began in 1996.
Ile de Re
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.