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Hotel de Matelote has a prime location directly across from the crashing waves of the English Channel (La Manche) and the famed Nausicaá National Sea Centre in Boulogne-sur-Mer. This four-star boutique gem with its distinct red and gold signature colours is a seaside sanctuary and a culinary institution.
La Matelote is the perfect escape for both cross-Channel getaways and gastronomic coastal retreats.
If you love intimate, independently run hotels with a sharp focus on Michelin-starred maritime dining, then La Matelote will capture your heart. Perched right on the Côte d’Opale, this 35-room luxury haven is managed with meticulous care. It is tailor-made for travellers seeking a relaxing weekend of sea-air rejuvenation, effortless French hospitality, and world-class seafood.
There is a thoughtful selection of bright, air-conditioned rooms and suites designed to fit a variety of styles. I stayed in one of the Prestige Rooms, which offers lovely partial views of the sea and harbour, framed by elegant classic drapery and comfortable, contemporary furnishings.
For those travelling with family, the independent Family Apartment features two full bedrooms and a kitchen overlooking the water. For a bit more indulgence, the top-tier Suites boast spacious separate living areas and private balconies opening directly onto the marine panorama.
Every room is well-appointed with flat-screen TVs, complimentary high-speed fibre Wi-Fi, minibar, and premium welcome amenities in the pristine bathrooms.
While the rooms provide deep comfort, the food is arguably the main event. You could almost think of it as a restaurant with rooms. Breakfast (€18) is a showcase of local produce, featuring artisanal yoghurts from the nearby Ferme du Patis and regional cheeses from the Lait Prairies du Boulonnais.
Tony Lestienne and his son, Stellio
For dinner, the ground-floor restaurant— led by the Lestienne family—is a legendary local fixture that has long held a Michelin star for its mastery of local seafood.
The menu shifts gracefully with the daily catch from the Boulogne fishing fleet (the largest in France). Expect impeccably executed, artfully plated dishes that celebrate line-caught sea bass, local turbot, and local scallops, paired with an extensive, expertly curated wine list.
I settled for Skate with Black Butter (Raie au Beurre Noir) and a glass (or two) of Sancerre. My colleague had the most delicious-looking mussels in a white wine and buttery sauce.
Afterwards, the cosy hotel bar is the perfect, low-lit spot to enjoy a digestive or a local beer served by their welcoming barman.
Wellness is a quiet priority here. The hotel features an exclusive, complimentary Espace Détente (relaxation area) strictly reserved for guests. It comes fully equipped with a heated indoor swimming pool, a soothing jacuzzi, a traditional sauna, and a hammam steam room to sweat away the maritime chill.
For drivers, the hotel offers highly coveted secure, covered private parking boxes at the back of the hotel—a massive bonus in a bustling port town.
How Much: Standard rooms at Hotel La Matelote start from €130, Prestige sea-view rooms from €195. Breakfast is €18 per person.
The grand Nausicaá National Sea Centre—Europe’s largest aquarium—is practically on your doorstep. The historic Ville Haute (Boulogne’s walled upper town) with its 13th-century ramparts and beautiful basilica is just a short drive up the hill. Beyond the town, the rugged cliffs of Cape Blanc-Nez and Cape Gris-Nez offer stunning coastal walks just 20 minutes away.
La Matelote balances the warmth of a family-run inn with the sharp precision of a high-end gastronomic hotel. It remains one of the finest, most delicious jumping-off points for exploring the natural beauty of the Côte d’Opale.
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The post Hotel de Matelote review, Boulogne sur Mer, Pas de Calais, France appeared first on The Travel Magazine.
Barely-there-blue is having a moment, and interior experts say it’s *the* colour to decorate your bedroom in this year.
Why? Because in a summer that’s seen temperatures soar (and so many of us struggle to sleep as a result), this subtle shade visually cools a bedroom down and creates a calm, soothing, and restful sleep space.
When it comes to bedroom design ideas that can help you to sleep better, that certainly sounds like exactly what this hot sleeper needs in her life right now.
As Natalie Prince, interiors expert at Sharps, explains, ‘Featured at some of this year’s most talked-about fashion events – including Dua Lipa’s recent wedding – this subtle shade is set to dominate both fashion and interiors this summer.’
‘Google searches for barely-there-blue have surged by 2,637% over the past year,’ says Natalie, ‘while searches for pale blue bedroom are up 1,775% in the same period.’
‘Light blue bedroom searches climbed a further 42% in the past 3 months, and on Pinterest, blue bedroom decor searches have grown 20% in the last month alone,’ continues Natalie.
And with the UK now in the midst of the third heatwave this year, it’s little wonder. I’m currently debating bedroom paint colours, and as the temperature has climbed, the cool-toned blues on my shortlist have definitely become more and more appealing.
‘Beyond aesthetics, there’s a practical case for blue too,’ agrees Natalie. ‘Cool-toned shades are widely associated with lowering the perceived temperature of a room, making barely-there blues a particularly smart choice as UK summers get warmer.’
This shade also ties in with one of this year’s biggest bedroom trends: the desire for sleep spaces that offer somewhere to retreat to, unwind and de-stress from the fast-paced world outside of our own four walls.
‘We’ve seen a real appetite from customers wanting to create a bedroom that helps them switch off,’ explains Natalie. ‘Pale, barely there blues are extremely popular right now – they bring a sense of calm and airiness that no other colour quite achieves in a bedroom setting.’
‘Barely-there blue’ is one of those shades that instantly makes a bedroom feel lighter and more restful,’ agrees Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at paint brand Dulux.
So which shades in particular are best for bedrooms? ‘The palette driving the trend sits at the softer, more restrained end of the blue spectrum,’ says Natalie.
‘Think powdery pastels, hazy duck eggs, and the kind of barely-there sky tones that sit somewhere between blue and white,’ says Natalie. ‘These are shades that work with natural light rather than fighting it, making a bedroom feel larger and more restful at once.’
‘These subtle tones have a really understated elegance,’ agrees Marianne. ‘Plus, they work beautifully alongside warm neutrals, soft linens and natural wood to create a scheme that feels calm, timeless and easy to live with.’
In a bid to sleep more comfortably this summer, I’ve already invested in the best cooling mattress topper, a hot-weather duvet alternative, the best linen bedding for breathability, and a lightweight dohar for the very hottest nights.
Now, I’m definitely convinced that colour-of-the-moment barely-there-blue is the final piece of the puzzle in making my sleep setup as cool, calm, and restful as possible.
