5-star hotels in Corsica: refuges with character

1. La Villa Calvi

Overlooking the bay and citadel of Calvi, La Villa Calvi is a gateway to the indomitable charm of the Balagne region. Set on a hillside, this 5-star Corsican hotel with Relais & Châteaux label combines elegance and relaxation in a three-hectare estate where olive trees reign supreme and the Corsican maquis invites itself right under your windows. Here, it's not uncommon to see vacationing soccer stars sharing their morning coffee with the locals, without anyone really paying much attention. Just a five-minute drive from the center of Calvi, this luxury establishment is the ideal starting point for exploring the region without getting lost in the maze of mass tourism.

Here, 45 rooms and suites take center stage, recently joined by three villas with private pools for those who like to play the star incognito. Contemporary design flirts with unpretentious nature, spiced up by an art gallery - a hobby of the owners' son - that doesn't take itself too seriously, with sculptures and paintings that are as surprising as they are amusing. The view? Breathtaking, between the age-old silhouette of the citadel and the sandy beach bordered by a majestic pine forest. At sunset, the light plays with the relief of Monte Grosso, revealing hues that seem tailor-made for this setting. It's easy to see why some people call this a paradise - even if the pragmatic Corsicans prefer to leave the mystery untouched.

The heart of La Villa Calvi beats to the rhythm of its main pool, a 25-meter swim lane lined with black stone, where inflatable unicorns and swimmers cohabit in harmony. Two other, more intimate pools stretch out towards the sea, with the added bonus of a pool bar for sipping a drink under the sun. Children are not forgotten: giant floating ducks in the welcome pool, play areas and a childcare service give parents a real break.

And if strolling around isn't enough, the restaurant La Table by La Villa is an ode to local flavors, featuring local fish and local treasures in a heartfelt tribute to regional cuisine. Enjoy a glass of Corsican wine on a terrace overlooking the maquis, and wonder if happiness has finally chosen to settle here.

La Villa Calvi
From 370 € per night (breakfast included)
Chemin Notre Dame de la Serra, 20260 Calvi

2. Domaine de Murtoli, Sartène

Lost somewhere between Sartène and Bonifacio, in the south of Corsica, lies an estate that even postcards don't dare to show: Murtoli. Set in 2,500 hectares of wilderness, 19 sheepfolds, restored with discreet refinement, welcome those seeking absolute peace and quiet and not afraid of a few bumpy roads. There are no bulky neighbors here, and each house is subtly hidden in the landscape, as if it had always been there. To get to this luxury hotel in Corsica, you have to venture out on bumpy dirt roads, where cows watch you go by with an air of proprietorship and wild boars cross without prevention. But the effort is well worth it.

Behind a curtain of carefully tended vegetation, your sheepfold appears, fireplace lit to welcome you. Inside, the charm is unostentatious: terracotta floors, vintage furniture, lion-foot bathtub, all bathed in light thanks to the large windows opening onto the maquis. Outside, the show goes on. Each bergerie has its own private swimming pool, perfectly integrated into the décor and surrounded by local stonework. The views are breathtaking: the Lion of Roccapina looms on the horizon, the sea offers an infinite palette of blues, and the maquis stretches as far as the eye can see. Some of the houses go so far as to offer a hammam dug into the rock. There's also a golf course, a hotel with 9 suites, 3 restaurants and a farm that produces almost all the produce used on site.

Domaine de Murtoli
From €320 (breakfast included)
Ortolo Valley, 20100 Sartène

3. Hotel Marinca and Spa, near Propriano

On the outskirts of Olmeto, in the unspoilt maquis, stands the Marinca, a 5-star Corsican hotel that, with its feet touching the tranquil waters, advocates discretion, calm and an almost guilty voluptuousness. This 54-key treasure, little known in the Gulf of Propriano, is shared only by a few connoisseurs of the magnificent island of Corsica. The Clarins spa, enlarged and modernized, extends over 600 square meters, with dozens of facilities from the most classic (hammam, heated pool...) to the most astonishing (Himalayan salt wall sauna, ice-room...) with the added bonus of a natural decor and a view of the sea as far as the eye can see.

On the culinary side, new chef Romain Masset officiates at the gourmet restaurant La Verrière. His cuisine is inspired by the scents of the maquis, using carefully selected seasonal produce and a fine selection of Corsican wines. The rooms and suites, veritable belvederes overlooking the Gulf of Valinco, celebrate the union of blond wood, white marble and immaculate textiles, in striking contrast to the blue horizon and Mediterranean garden below. Bonus: depart from the hotel's private pontoon and discover the many wild coves aboard a boat.

Hotel Marinca & Spa
From € 290
Vitricella, 20113 Olmeto

4. Sofitel Golfe d'Ajaccio Thalassa sea & spa

Perched proudly at the tip of a peninsula, the Sofitel looks set to stretch its moorings between the Gulf of Ajaccio and the mysterious Sanguinaires Islands. After six months of transformation, Corsica's freshly renovated 5-star hotel-spa unveils its dazzling façade and 98 rooms and suites reinvigorated by Laurent Maugoust. Here, the call of adventure rivals that of relaxation. A sun-drenched terrace, a solarium for perfecting your tan, shaded rooms for impromptu siestas, not forgetting a heated seawater pool for those with a chill.

The Spa Marin offers a revitalizing break with a selection of treatments and coaching sessions to rejuvenate body and mind. On the gastronomic front, chef Stéphan Rémon delights the taste buds with his restaurant: La Carte Postale, offering a culinary voyage through the delights of Corsica's terroir. And for those who want to get away from it all, the hotel organizes helicopter escapades, offering a breathtaking perspective of the Isle of Beauty from the air.

Sofitel Golfe d'Ajaccio Thalassa sea & spa
From €249
Domaine de la Pointe, 20166 Porticcio

5. Hotel Casadelmar, Porto-Vecchio

Leaving behind the winding road to Palombaggia, a discreet pine-lined driveway leads to Casadelmar, an elegant retreat clad in dark wood and glass. The 5-star hotel blends into the landscape, offering breathtaking views of the Gulf of Porto-Vecchio and its sandy beach. Nestled in a two-hectare park planted with olive and cypress trees, Casadelmar offers 34 rooms and suites flooded with light thanks to vast bay windows. Each terrace offers a panoramic view of the sea or the garden, allowing you to contemplate the surrounding beauty from the comfort of your deckchair.

The infinity pool invites you to relax, unless you prefer the private sandy cove, equipped with umbrellas and deckchairs for sunbathing in total tranquility. If you're tempted to leave this cocoon, the beaches of Santa Giulia and Palombaggia, true jewels of the island, are only a short distance away.

On your return, two-starred chef Fabio Bragagnolo invites you on a Mediterranean culinary journey, inspired by local flavors. Casadelmar, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, is the ideal address for a tête-à-tête getaway, away from the hustle and bustle without being cut off from the world. A place where contemporary design blends harmoniously with nature, offering a serene interlude for those who know how to appreciate true riches.

Casadelmar
From €561 (breakfast included)
Route de Palombaggia, 20137 Porto-Vecchio

6. Grand Hôtel de Cala Rossa

At the entrance to Porto-Vecchio in Southern Corsica, yet well out of sight, with its feet in the water and its beach necessarily private, Cala Rossa is the very image of a family home, authentic and cheerful, singular and welcoming. It has to be said that generations have succeeded one another here, imbuing these whitewashed walls with their desires and influences, mixing with a certain brilliance and audacity, antique furniture from all over the world, joyfully blending eras and natural materials. Oak and linen, travertine or worn tiled floors, whether in the common areas or the 39 spacious, bright rooms and suites, some with extended green terraces.

This is a Relais & Châteaux as we like it, with its organic vegetable garden, heartfelt restaurant and spa. Spanning 500 m2, the spa features 7 treatment rooms along tree-lined patios, a heated indoor pool, sauna and hammam. Above all, it's the two owners themselves who have developed Nucca, a 100% natural brand based on maquis plants. A personalized massage with the scent of myrtle, mint, cistus or lavender.

Good to know: for added privacy, you can also stay in the 37m2 air-conditioned cabane sur pilotis, with bath and terrace overlooking the sea.

Grand Hôtel de Cala Rossa
39 keys from €330 per night
Domaine de Cala Rossa, 20137 Lecci de Porto-Vecchio