An honest review of Domaine de Capelongue in Provence
After staying in 5 luxury hotels in Provence, will this one top the ranks? #90
September is my favourite month of the year.
There are still remnants of summer in the air and in our hearts, the weather is usually lovely (although this past week, we had some cold Arctic wind which meant 5 degrees in the morning, brrr), and there’s a sense of starting afresh.
I was one of those weird kids who loved going back to school (“la rentrée” in French) as I had a big appetite for learning. This year marked Mademoiselle’s last “rentrée”. I took the classic photo of her in front of our door in her uniform and juxtaposed it to the very first one when she was four years old. Time goes so fast. It’s both wonderful to witness and bittersweet too. If you have young children, nieces or nephews or godchildren, do enjoy the younger years even if they are sometimes exhausting!.
September is also a month of birthdays in my family. My sister, my brother, my godson, a nephew on the English side and finaly my own! So plenty of opportunities to celebrate, have a long chart about how we are becoming more wrinkled but also wiser (we hope!).
And you, what is your favourite month?
No extra finds this week as there’s a relatively long review of Domaine de Capelongue. I decided to make the newsletter a bit shorter for the end of the year to save you and me time. I’ll be interested in knowing if you prefer it that way?
Domaine de Capelongue review
After a wonderful stay in Greece, visiting Naxos and Koufonisi, we decided to transition gently back to London by spending a few days in Provence. We've tried many hotels in the region, including La Coquillade, Crillon Le Brave (I still have to write that review), Beaumanière, La Bastide de Marie, but this time we wanted to explore something new. Domaine de Capelongue in Bonnieux was thus our choice has it’s been recently refurbished after having been taken over by the Baumier group and renovated to offer 65 bedrooms.
The location in the Lubéron is excellent, with the village of Bonnieux just a 10-minute walk away.
Other villages like Gordes, Lourmarin, and Ménerbes are within a 15 to 20-minute drive, making it a great base for exploring the region.
We arrived later than planned due to Mr Big spending one hour in the border control at Marseille airport. Mademoiselle and I zipped through thanks to our French passports but he’s “only” British so had to join a long queue!
Anyway, upon arrival at Capelongue, we were welcome by a very smiley team who made us feel very welcome. In our room, we got more special touches with a bottle of wine, delicious chocolates, and biscuits, along with a thoughtful note for our daughter, as we were celebrating her birthday. We went straight to diner and slept very well, eager to discover the place in daylight in the morning.
New additions to the domain work quite well
The renovation is indeed well done, blending modern amenities with the traditional charm of Provence. The property, although newly built, uses typical Provencal stone and is set among beautiful gardens, creating a serene atmosphere. The Baumier group added a new section with additional rooms, another pool, a spa, and a second restaurant.
Initially, I was concerned that the modern section might feel resort-like and lack personality. While the design is not particularly unique, the beautiful Provencal setting and the two areas, one more for families, one more for couples and adults work well and mean that it doesn’t feel too busy.
A warm design in tons of ochres and rooms for families.
The rooms offer various options, from smaller, intimate spaces in the former main Bastide to larger, family-friendly configurations in the new section. We stayed in Suite Bonnieux, which featured two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room, and an outdoor area backing onto the spa.
The view from our bedroom, overlooking the pool, the restaurant La Bergerie, and the village of Bonnieux, was a delightful way to start each day.
The design of the rooms, in tones of ochre, beige, and rust, creates a peaceful and pleasant atmosphere. The decor is minimalistic, or maybe even simplist so lacking a bit of personality. Artwork adds an element of differentiation and some bedrooms feature unique design touches, but this isn’t the kind of place where each space has been designed differently to the next, which is a bit of a shame. I do prefer when attention has been given to create a unique atmosphere in each one. I also think that some of the design choices won’t age very well.
It might be that rooms in La Bastide, the original hotel, have more personality. I would probably recommend trying to stay there.
But in the end, you don’t spend that much time in the room as you of course want to enjoy the region or just relax by the pool under the sun.
Not one but two ways to be by the poolside!
The two pools areas are really handy actually. You can either choose to stay by the 20 meters long “couloir de nage” in the new area or by the star-shaped pool surrounded by trees and gardens, a bit more protected near La Bastide, the original hotel. In both places, you can enjoy service to your chair whether it’s a drink or light food for lunch. We preferred the original area, La Bastide, as it offers a quieter and more intimate pool experience. Here you could also have a fun ice cream trolley, a Nordic bath, and a petanques area.
Food wise, you have the choice of La Bergerie, La Bastide or also the Café.
Our first dinner at La Bergerie, a casual restaurant focused on wood-fired oven dishes, was a pleasant surprise with its creative and fresh vegetable starters. La Bastide; the gastronomic restaurant was where we celebrated Mademoiselle’s birthday. The mixed menu included highlights like tomato and beef tartar carpaccio, langoustine, and a delicious cheese dish with regional cheeses and homemade marmalades. The service was attentive and friendly, and the wine pairings were exceptional.
The café, resembling a shaded village corner, offers a variety of small bites to accompany your drinks. We enjoyed a delicious paté but you could also have a fried courgette patty and a panisse with aioli, a typical Provençal dish, making for a lovely time. The cocktails were inventive and delicious too.
Highly recommend a treatment at the spa
The spa is a new addition to Capelongue and it’s definitely adding something special to the offering. Set in the old cellars, it is a calming space where you can go at any time to enjoy a cold steam, a sauna or a roman bath (a mini pool with very hot water).
In any case, you should definitely book a treatment. My body massage with Carla was sensational. She clearly put her heart into it and I left feeling very relaxed. Mr Big also have a very good facial and reflexology while Mademoiselle enjoyed a facial for her birthday. Products are from Biologique Research so of very high quality.
Service is the big plus at Capelongue
Service is really what made Capelongue stand out. The staff at Domaine de Capelongue is truly lovely. Young, professional, and always friendly, they seem to genuinely enjoy their work, which adds to the welcoming atmosphere.
Where does it rank in my list of Provence hotels?
In conclusion, Domaine de Capelongue is a serene retreat with beautiful gardens, good food, and wonderful spa treatments. While it may lack character and uniqueness, it offers spacious accommodations and excellent service and is very friendly towards families.
It’s not one of my top Provence hotels (Crillon le Brave last year had a lot of plus points, review to come) but it is certainly a solid choice for a couple of nights and a good base for exploring the Lubéron.