Corsica, France
From land or sea, U Capu Biancu is almost entirely hidden. Hewn into a cliffside on Corsica’s southern coast and shrouded by the island’s rosemary- and lavender-scented maquis, this small, secret hotel can be found down a long and winding lane leading straight to its great iron gates. Once inside, the space is welcoming, lanterns swinging in the sea breeze. And then, suddenly, there it is—the sea below you. It’s a view that makes you stop walking and talking and just breathe it all in.
The indoor-outdoor restaurant is the heart of this little hotel, set on a series of terraces along the hillside. Here, the well-dressed, usually French clientele eat superb seafood hauled in by the hotel’s only neighbor, a fisherman who moors at its jetty, bringing his catches to marvelous, long-serving chef Gadio El Hadji, who grills them a la plancha or bakes them in salt. At breakfast, guests enjoy freshly baked breads, home-made jams, and eggs laid by the garden’s chickens. Follow the garden path past the deliciously warm pool, down through oleander bushes and olive trees, to the beach at the bottom, accessible only from the hotel and the sea.
Distance to the water: A five-minute stroll
Travel time: 30 minute drive from Figari-Sud Corse Airport
Price: Rooms from around $506 per night
