Hotel Le Cep in Beaune: A Burgundian Treasure

A recent trip to Burgundy gave me the opportunity to visit the wine capital Beaune and a chance to stay at this historic hotel right in the city centre.  The four-star Hotel Le Cep has that sought-after combination of comfort, authenticity and charm that you hope for when travelling in France. Sixty four air conditioned rooms are spread out across the five historic Beaune townhouses, now joined to create a pleasing fusion of architectural styles (some parts dating from the 1500s) with grand staircases, galleries, a tower (with a panoramic view from the top), stone arches and cool courtyards where you can eat al fresco in the warmer weather.

Rooms and public areas alike are very comfortably furnished with carefully selected French antique furniture with occasional modern pieces interposed to create a pleasing overall ambience. I found the service to be both efficient but also very friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble.

There are plenty of places to eat in Beaune but if you don’t want to stretch your legs you can dine in style at Restaurant Loiseau des Vignes, the one Michelin star Bernard Loiseau establishment, located right next door to the hotel entrance and located within one of the old townhouses.

Unlike some of the newer wave of boutique hotels which can be somewhat pretentious, here is a perfect combination of comfort, charm and high quality service that still manages to feel relaxed and homely. With its location in the heart of the city (and a car park on site), this is very hard to beat.

Hotel Le Cep, 27 Rue Maufoux, 21200 Beaune, France. Tél: :+33 3 80 22 35 48. From 188 Euros per room per night.