Secret gardens

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Closeted away in a sleepy little street in Nîmes, Southern France, lies one of the most original and truly “boutique” hotels you will ever lay eyes on – Jardins Secrets. On entering the Provençal garden, which is hidden entirely from street view, one immediately succumbs to the lagoon like pool and the serenity that descends once the heavy gates on the outside world close behind you.

Time seems to have stood still for the grand old villa, which has been in the hands of the same French well-to-do family (portraits of family friends like Pablo Picasso hang on the walls) for several generations. The decision to turn the family home into a hotel required little effort, it seems, aside from its impassioned owner trawling the antique markets for a few more beds and basins – her favourite pastime, her husband explained to me with chagrin.

Each room is individually themed and carefully curated; some are Moorish, some art deco, my own – themed Lolita – was a tastefully extravagant, romantic affair, awash with rhododendrons and love-worn antiquated furniture. Such is the exquisite detail and opulent homeliness, it feels absurd to describe this poetic respite as a hotel. The three resident cats lounge in front of roaring fires or wander absentmindedly through the baroque sitting rooms while tiny birds chirp sleepily in the old-fashioned dining room.

Every detail has been meticulously thought out to enamour the visitor. For breakfast a vast selection of exquisite homemade jams ranging in flavour from rose to lilac or fig are served with freshly baked French breads and pastries, and in the afternoon, tea and homemade biscuits are served on mismatched antique silver and chinaware while you amuse yourself with a game of chess or try your hand on the grand piano.

If you are looking for a weekend of utter escapism, Jardins Secrets isn’t just another place, it’s another world entirely.

Jardins Secrets