Le Scandola Hotel

A warm welcome, excellent service, and a lovely view from the terrace. This must be one of the best hotels in Corsica. Don’t hesitate to book a room here.

The terrace view is lovely, and this might work well as a stop for a drink. I wouldn’t choose it for an overnight stay if you’re sensitive to strong synthetic smells, especially with a first-floor room. We asked to switch, and were told every room smelled the same, but the other two or three we looked at weren’t nearly as pungent. Breakfast also felt expensive for what was served, and some furnishings didn’t match the photos, including inflatable terrace chairs. If you can’t get a room away from the first floor, I’d just come for the view.

Breakfast was the best we had anywhere in Corsica, with homemade sweet and savory cakes. The staff were wonderful and even offered to pack lunch for our hike up Capu d'Orto. Our ground-floor room was close to the road, but traffic was very light in the daytime and absent at night. It had a huge, partly private terrace. The upper rooms have nicer views, though we still had a lovely outlook from ours.

The dining room’s view is lovely, and the man in charge of the restaurant was genuinely friendly, though we weren’t impressed by the food. The rooms were clean and attractive, and the hotel’s location is excellent. Our check-in got off to a rough start because arrivals are apparently expected between 3 and 6 pm, which didn’t work with our late flight. The hotel tour was hurried, and nobody even smiled. That same lack of warmth continued for the rest of our stay. At least the view makes up for the meal.