Elite Traveler Fall 2022

Les Sources de Caudalíe MARTILLAC, FRANCE Even though Les Sources de Caudalíe is just 15 minutes from the center of Bordeaux, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel the need to leave this magni fi cent hotel and its bucolic surroundings. It feels more akin to a chic French hamlet than a hotel, with multiple wooden-beamed buildings, a small farm, lake, vegetable garden and vineyards that are plowed by horses. The charmingly rustic hotel and spa embodies ‘The French Paradox;’ a study that showed how the French diet and lifestyle can help to fi ght cardiovascular diseases — and that includes wine consumption. Les Sources sits among the Grand Cru vineyards of Château Smith Haut La fi tte, of which Le Sources’ story is closely entwined — Caudalíe, the famed French skincare brand, was born from the discarded grape seeds from Château Smith Haut La fi tte’s harvest. The grape seeds contain polyphenols, which are one of the most powerful antioxidants. So, at Les Sources de Caudalíe, wine is the star of the show in more ways than one —most notably at the Spa Vinothérapie, where treatments include such wine-centric wonders as the Crushed Cabernet scrub and the Honey and Wine wrap. There’s even a barrel-shaped outdoor hot tub. Suites are connected via wooden walkways, and each one is unique; many feature antique furnishings and select artwork. The most spectacular, however, is the signature suite: L’Île aux Oiseaux (The Bird Island). It hovers above the largest pond and from the outside, it resembles a fi shing lodge thanks to the repurposed wood used in its design. But inside is a di ff erent story — the dazzling white suite is the work of couturier Rabih Kayrouz (Les Sources owner Alice Tourbier partners with a prominent designer to completely overhaul the suite’s interiors every few years). The all-white abode is punctuated with select furnishings such as vibrant glass bottles that sit atop a 1960s Eastern-inspired Guillerme et Chambron wooden wardrobe; tin-plated copper tables; and a claw-foot, roll-top bath with a calming painting of Mount Lebanon hanging above it. Grape escapes Saint-Emilion, a beguiling Unesco World Heritage village, is just 45 minutes from the hotel. It has a long history of winemaking (dating back to Roman times) and the incredibly diverse terroirs make for tremendous variety. Borrow Les Source’s electric BMW i3 for the day and explore at your own pace. Signature Suite from $1,000 per night. Contact Alice Tourbier, owner, reservations@sources-caudalie.com, +33 557 838 383, sources-caudalie.com

Photos Steven Rothfeld, Roberta Valerio