Locations

An address of style

It is through its sumptuous lounges that the Hôtel de Toiras is discovered. On a black and white checkerboard, the 18th century inspired furniture combines soft sofas with bangs, Louis XVI or Empire armchairs, all signed by great houses: Taillardat, Pierre Frey, Brunschwig, Ralph Lauren or Canovas. Paintings, engravings and collectors' items are on display in the antique shops of La Rochelle and Paris, while the large fireplace with its overmantel mirror warms the winter days.

In each room of the hotel, the owner wanted to pay tribute to the great figures of the island who lend their names to the 20 rooms and suites, by creating a series of portraits by young painters. The Parisian gallery owner Françoise Durst, known for her work with the Prince of Wales, the George V and the Savoy Hotel in London, was asked to meet them.

9 masterful suites

Paying homage to the great figures who have marked the history of the island, from Marshal de Toiras to Pierre Loti, Chapelain Midy, Vauban, Samuel de Champlain, the Duke of Buckingham, Madame de Sévigné, Aziyadé or George Washington, the sets of the 9 suites were all composed by Olivia Le Calvez.

Toiras, suite with view

Directly facing the port of Saint-Martin, the Deluxe Suite of Marechal Toiras and its 55m² enjoys an exceptional view. With the windows wide open, you can enjoy the mood of the day, the atmosphere of the port waking up every morning, the sea wind and the clatter of the boat masts. Celebrating the French art of living, the suite dares to be bright and beautiful in yellow, opens a sublime Louis XIV wardrobe as a dressing room, a lion's foot bathtub and a walk-in shower inviting itself into the bathroom.

Pierre Loti, for inspiration

This suite recalls the passage of the writer, novelist and great traveler buried in his family home on the nearby island of Oleron. From the office facing the port where one would gladly take up the pen to the maritime novels telling his fantastic stories, everything here invites you to travel, the orientalist decorations - paintings of sultanas, Syrian trunk, gilded mirrors and arabesque tapestries - blend perfectly with the Charente furniture. Through a secret door... opens Aziyadé, a room dedicated to the glory of one of Pierre Loti's muses, an oriental beauty whose perfume is found on a background of burgundy velvet and mosaics.

The George Washington Presidential Suite

The largest suite in the hotel with its 110m², the George Washington suite with its direct view of the port, refers to one of the president's ancestors on the island of Ré, the notable Huguenot Nicolas Martiau, who was forced into exile in England and then in Virginia. Water green tones perfume the large living room and dining room, the fireplace hides one of the treasures of the hotel: a plaque dated 1627, the year of the siege of the island of Ré by the English. On the walls, the Canovas house prints on tapestries the engravings of the Washington house in Vermont. The highlight is the turret room with its club chair for meditation.

The artists' house

Open to all, the hotel's patio reveals a unique oasis of greenery, reminiscent of Morocco, the riyads of Marrakech or Tangier. A few moments of freshness in the middle of aromatic plants, and an inspiring hideaway for a drink in the shade of wisteria, bamboo, laurel and climbing roses. Around, the "artists' house" and its 5 rooms with atypical decorations.

To the painter Louis Suire, known for his landscapes with fabulous lights from the Rhone Valley and whose room is a vegetable interlude, Pierre Loti plays the shimmering impressions, Madame de Sévigné holding her apartments on the second floor as Marie Mancini, first love of youth of Louis XIV exiled in Charente and whose room in toile de Jouy and pastel mauve is a sensation. Next door, the room named after the local explorer and botanist Nicolas Baudin, surprises with its green-apple plant harmonies, the engravings of hibiscus, shells and island birds fitting well with the theme.