The Best Hotels in Brittany, France

Right in the heart of Saint-Malo’s Old Town, Le Grande Bé is a sumptuous 56-room four-star retreat that’s super-handy for the popular sandy stretch of Plage de Bon-Secours. (Private parking is a bonus, with electric charging.) Rooms are urban-funky – pine-pale floors and pared-down white beds. There’s a rooftop terrace, a bar and an excellent restaurant. You can step out and in a matter of minutes be wandering Saint-Malo’s ramparts. Whatever you do, make a date with the wellness centre and spa in the 17th-century stone vaults.

Calling all record fans – Le Magic Hall is the place for vinyl-lovers. You can spin your choice in a corner of the lounge as well as borrowing films and books. There’s even a music studio. This quirky, eco-friendly hotel in the centre of Rennes, the Breton regional capital, has comfortable rooms individually styled around themes of music, dance, theatre and cinema. Be sure to hang around for Sunday brunch, featuring far breton, traditional custard tart studded with plums.

This part of Brittany is up there among the finest holiday territory in France: explore imposing rose-coloured rock formations, venture out on coastal walks and go swimming in pretty coves. Newly renovated, Le Castel Beau Site is aptly named: a beautiful spot on the Pink Granite coast it is indeed. It has 32 light-filled contemporary suites and rooms – the Sea View Suite is a stunner, with its big wall-hung framed mirrors and snow-white fabric armchairs. Don’t miss dining in: first-class local seafood and a carefully compiled wine list await you in the excellent restaurant.

Blessed with a mild climate year-round, Dinard is a delightful holiday town on Brittany’s Cote d’Emeraude – and this grande dame is the place to stay, looking across the Rance estuary to the ramparts of Saint-Malo. Luxurious rooms pick up decoratively on those marine views, recently refreshed in warm creams with touches of blue. You might ride a bike on the beach, follow the boardwalk into town or take the sea bus to Saint-Malo in under 10 minutes. Sip a cocktail at the 333 Café before dinner at Le George V: oysters, perhaps, or roasted hake in white-wine sauce with risotto.

Exploring the vibrant medieval streets of old Rennes, with its mighty St-Pierre Cathedral, is one of the joys of visiting Brittany. Right in the heart of things is this delightful little bed and breakfast, set in a 16th-century house. Climb the stairs to four comfortable rooms topped with a two-bedroom apartment. Each is unique with its own special decor, observing a nautical palette of sandy-beige and blue. A delicious breakfast of fruit, croissants, orange juice and coffee is served in your room or in the lounge.

Alongside the Odet River in the city of Quimper – Britanny’s cultural heart – lies a medieval botanical garden and old Priory in the historic district of Locmaria. Hotel Ginkgo, set in an ancient stone building, has rooms overlooking these tranquil surroundings, just a short walk from the centre of town. Attention-grabbing artworks, mid-century-style funky furnishings, and top-of-the-range linen make for a supremely comfortable stay. Make an appointment at the spa with its hot tub, sauna and hammam; excellent massages are available, too.

Located between Vannes and Nantes, La Roche-Bernard is one of the prettiest places in Brittany: would-be sailors visit for boat trips, while landlubbers come for country walks. This is a traditional auberge, which inhabits an old stone-built house. Perched at the top of town, it’s the perfect base from which to explore southern Brittany. It has characterful, comfortable rooms with old-world charm – claret-red carpets, curly-legged Empire chairs, clawfoot tubs in some – and the restaurant works wonders with the likes of scallops, langoustine and (in puddings) hazelnuts.

The Ascott is set in an elegant former gentleman’s townhouse in a residential neighbourhood of Saint-Servan – a town 2mi from Saint-Malo. The superbly comfortable beds are the highlights of its nine well-appointed rooms – don’t oversleep or you might miss the excellent breakfast, which makes the most of local specialities. Staying here you are perfectly positioned for exploring the ancient streets of Saint-Malo and the nearby sandy beaches. The ferry port is close by, too. Don’t miss the museum at the 14th-century Solidor Tower, built overlooking the mouth of the Rance estuary in Saint-Malo.