I have never been more impressed with a european luxury resort as I was with Hotel Crillon Le…read moreBrave.
This last summer, my husband and I traveled through parts of Southern France and Northern Italy for a few weeks and simply, no other hotel compared to our stay than here at HCLB. (Not yet anyways)
Because we came to France to celebrate our birthdays and an early one year anniversary, we did not mind emptying our wallets for our lavish trip. And HCLB was certainly worth it.
HCLB is a young and upcoming hotel situated at the foot of famous Mt. Ventoux and nestled atop of the hill village of Crillon Le Brave. By car, you can reach HCLB from Avignon in ~45 minutes if you don't get lost or make stops along your way. You'll quickly learn in the South of France that most provencal villages are teeny tiny and could be as few as 3 or 4 winding main streets wrapped around a market. In the case of HCLB, the property is the heart of the village and all of the winding streets lead up to it.
The property of this pristinely kept hotel is nothing short of impressive and stunning. As a young hotel, they are aesthetically much more in tuned with the rustic modern looks we often find in luxury travel publications. Rooms & chambers are strategically located throughout the compound, allowing each room a sense of privacy and a unique view. In our particular room, we enjoyed a refreshing view of the rolling hills and cobblestone steps leading to the base of the village through a french styled bay window. Decor in the room was simple just like the provencal way of life, but did feature a plush queen sized bed, cozy reading chairs, bose sound system, classic clawfoot bathtub, his & her sink and also a his & her showers. Naturally, being in Provence, complimentary luxe artisanal soaps and L'occitane were provided/replaced daily. With the rest of the property, they continue to impress with several choice lounging areas to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine from the Cotes du Ventoux. The staggered layers of the compound allow for an extremely breath-taking view of Mt. Ventoux no matter where you are.
Aesthetics aside, HCLB offers a wide range of concierge services and day packages. Although, I cannot say they have everything nailed down - they are constantly working hard to improve themselves, take feedback and do as much as they can. While we were there, they were the most helpful with making several arrangements at different wineries, restaurants, spa appointments and day trips (biking, horseback riding, picnics). That in itself, was kind of amazing since everywhere else we stayed, the concierge often seemed inflexible or unresponsive. Only thing that I would advise, regardless of where you go, is be specific. [At HCLB, we did their "Crillon for Two" package which included a guided bike tour down Mt Ventoux (a famous leg of the Tour De France competitions) which they said anyone could do it - but let's just say, this is not for the faint of heart!]
The next few things I want to quickly mention is the food, service and value.
The food at their restaurant was one of our favorite meals, (sadly, we had grown a bit weary from the long 8+ course french meals and HCLB typically has you ordering ala carte not pre fixe) because it was very provencal, fresh and a little more innovative. My recommendations for anyone visiting would be their provencal leg of lamb that is roasted over fireplace, their pan roasted scallops with ventoux pork belly and their pan roasted foie gras. All very worthy of their calories... Furthermore, during the evening, the sunset & moonrise on the Ventoux appellations are really something as a live jazz duo simultaneously softly serenades diners in the background. I was in awe at how clear the skies were and how close the moon looked. Absolutely perfect. Additionally, in the mornings, they offer a hearty spread of french pastries, breads, jams, fruit and cured meats.
Service here is top-notch, and it's noticeably different from other establishments in the area. They require staff to be bilingual in French and English (which was a great relief for me since I don't speak French and my husband has forgotten all of his HS french) and have a couple employees that even hail in originally from the US. You will immediately feel a sense of warmth and genuine friendliness here, which is incredibly appreciated when traveling abroad in a foreign land and in a country that is stereotypically known for being arrogant. Not to mention, the type of guests that stay at HCLB are classy and friendly.
Value wise, the place is not cheap but every bit worth your money if you were hoping to have a relaxing but luxurious visit. Most other places we visited charged just as much if not more, and we felt we were treated like a dime a dozen or the property itself was in some way lackluster.
Overall, we liked this hotel so much that we would definitely come back to Provence just to stay here and that says a lot.
