Hotel The Originals Le Treport South La Cour Carr

This 19th-century farmhouse complex looks every bit the part on the outside, with classic, but simple two-story brick buildings, and a newer wing that mimics the original design, forming a semi-gated community with a central courtyard. Inside, the design takes a sharp turn to modern boutique, albeit with a rustic flavor. The lobby features distressed woodwork and stone foundations, but a business-like gray in the carpeting, upholstery, and walls, while artsy elements, like a birch-branch sculpture, add interest. The lounge follows suit, with a large leather sofa facing an even larger brick and stone fireplace. A separate smaller lounge includes a TV. As the hotel is in Europe, there’s still a designated smoking area.The classy ambience extends to the spacious restaurant and bar area, which adds bright tones of blue and orange and continues the sense of play found in the birdcage chandelier and birdhouses on the surrounding walls. Guests tend to be older tourist couples. 

Just outside the seaport town of Treport, the Hotel La Cour Carree occupies a stretch of farmland that reflects its origins as a 19th-century farmhouse. That means a largely green and rural surroundings, save for a large shopping center five minutes away by foot. It also means a car is essential for both getting to the hotel and exploring the area, as public transport is limited or non-existent outside the major towns, which are connected by regular trains or buses. Although there’s an airport in Dieppe, 32 minutes by car away from the hotel, Paris is close enough to make the trip by train semi-convenient, taking about three hours. Although Treport has a few sights worth visiting, there’s far more in Dieppe and Rouen, an hour-and-10-minute drive away. 

Although there has been an effort to add some freshness to the 28 rooms, with a bit of variation in decor to make each room slightly different, the hotel largely keeps to a traditional countryside style, which makes perfect sense for the location. That translates to antique style double and twin beds, desks, end tables, and other furnishings, as well as heavy and richly colored fabrics in the curtains, bedding, and carpet. The striped and patterned wallpaper, as well as a few artsy touches, add a touch of modern flavor. All rooms come with flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. For larger parties and/or longer stays, a few cottages with kitchenettes are also available. Bathrooms are divided into two, with one room for the toilet and another space for the shower. Most rooms overlook the picturesque grounds. 

The hotel has made an effort to satisfy all the basic necessities and then some. That means a full restaurant serving local cuisine, a bar, two lounges (one with a TV, one with a fireplace), outdoor terrace and garden with deck chairs, meeting rooms, free self-parking, and Wi-Fi throughout. The buffet breakfast is a step or two above the usual continental, thanks to the attention to local food, but the meal costs extra. There’s no gym, but miles of farmlands and country roads go in every direction, including north to the sea, and bicycles are available to rent.