Hotel & Spa in Valenciennes with dinner + luxe 2-floor suite

Right at the heart of town, just a stone’s throw from the train station, and easily accessible, the approach to the 4-star hotel and spa in Valenciennes, its glass roof bathed in light, is enough to take your breath away.

Inside, the drama continues, not least at dinner in the ‘Galerie’ brasserie where you can admire cut-above locally sourced and seasonal cuisine, a palatially elegant setting, plus the poker-straight gallery of impeccably laid tables and backdrop of majestic portraits. That’s not to say it’s overly formal - there’s a warm and relaxed atmosphere to savour.

And all this before you’ve even clapped eyes on your mezzanine suite, a vast 60m² of space carefully curated with super-chic baroque design features designed to dazzle, and an amazing view over the grand courtyard. When the mood’s right, don robes and slippers and head down to the luxury spa for its heated, turquoise waters shimmering beneath blue-stone arches, for its steam room and sauna – and if you’ve decided to really treat yourselves, that massage-for-two with gorgeous hot oils.

A 5-minute walk from the hotel takes you to Valenciennes’ Saint-Nicolas district, infinitely and charmingly romantic with characterful narrow streets and bar terraces alive with conviviality. On your way back to the hotel, stroll amongst the sculptures in Parc des Prix de Rome or wander the tree-lined Jardin de la Rhônelle. Next day, what could be more evocative than somewhere called the ‘Temple de l'Amour’ in nearby Fresnes-sur-Escaut or ‘L'Etang du Vignoble’ lake, where a sunset is a fitting backdrop for ripples gently lapping against pontoons.