Hôtel Gaëtan

One of the oldest hotels on the Île du Levant: it dates from 1957, when Gaëtan and Wanda turned a private house into a hotel, and it is still in the hands of the same family. It stands about 200 metres from the village and 600 from the sea, among gardens and maquis, and has kept its vintage furnishings: people come here for exactly that, not for comfort. The 11 rooms are small, with neither air conditioning nor heating, and come in four types: with their own shower and WC; with shower and WC outside; family rooms, for a couple with a child under 12; and a single for solo travellers, with shower and WC outside. Breakfast is on request and the room serves only that purpose: there is no restaurant, but you can have a picnic in the garden, which has sun loungers, and reception has a shared fridge and microwave. The house rules ask for calm and discretion, with exclusion for anyone who causes a disturbance, and forbid smoking and eating in the rooms; you are free to go nude in the garden and on the paths, while indoors, at reception and in the breakfast room, at least a pareo is required. In high season single-night stays are not available. Those who have stayed particularly appreciate the family's welcome, the silence, the old-world atmosphere and the modest prices; some, however, find the rooms too dated and spartan, and others complain of little attention to the services.