Royal Mirabeau - Mona Lisa - Aix-en-Provence, France     

My boyfriend and I were traveling the south of France in a rental car and came across Hotel Mona Lisa in Fuveau by chance. We originally were going to stay Chateaux l'Arc, but it didn't 'feel' right. Plus it's on a ratty golf course, so we thought that if the golf course was ratty, the rest of the place must be too. It was just too stale. I digress, the Mona Lisa hotel was just what the doctor ordered. The staff was very friendly, spoke great English, and took care of us well. We came to find later that this hotel is a chain - you wouldn't know it. One of the best parts of the hotel was the sauna room they offered to all guests. They even have a workout facility - albeit somewhat lacking - but they had a treadmill there, which is what I needed. They also have some sort of walking/running trails around the property. They also have a swimming pool - which we didn't get the chance to use. The room was nice and very clean. They even had internet access in the room - if you provide your own laptop. The restaurant was delicious. I had a duck dish that was terrific. My boyfriend had the lamb - very tasty and well presented. They even had a good wine list selection, very impressive for a chain hotel - even if it's in France. The area is very scarce as far as anything to do... we just needed to rest for the night on our way from Montpellier to Cannes. Very comfortable place to stay. I truly recommend it.