3 Best Hotels in Vannes, Brittany

At the tip of the magical Pen Lan Peninsula, this luxurious collection of 15th- and 16th-century Breton stone buildings resembles a tiny village—albeit one surrounded by terraced gardens that promise grand vistas of the Baie de Vilaine (Vilaine Bay). Once you step through the 13th-century \"Portail de la Verité\" entryway, the public areas entice with Baroque ex-votos, Louis Treize chairs, rock-face fireplaces, and plate-glass windows; guest rooms sparkle with checked fabrics, veneered woods, and modern furnishings. Chef Maxime Nouail rules the restaurant, which has a straightforward, classical menu. For a different type of indulgence, head to the spectacular Aqua Phénicia, which has a full spectrum of seawater hydrotherapy facilities and a gigantic indoor pool.

In an old but thoroughly modernized building, this hotel attracts a varied foreign clientele, drawn by homey guest rooms that are clean, bright, and simple with budget prices. Frédéric Thébaud serves a traditional menu in the long-established Image Sainte-Anne restaurant, stylishly refurbished with plush red carpet, gold-and-red wallpaper, and round-back designer chairs. You can't go wrong with straightforward seasonal specialties like scallops à la Bretonne, grilled sole, and kidneys flambéed in Calvados.