We stayed at the hotel L’Agapa for four nights in early October, occupying a magical room (#71) on the top floor of the Villa Desirade. Every aspect of our visit was superb, with the small exception of a pushy female clerk at the reception desk during check-in, who tried to demand that we reserve at both the hotel’s restaurant and spa before completing the check-in process for the room. To counterbalance her behavior, we found a female colleague of hers to be very helpful with information and restaurant suggestions for all of Perros-Guirec. We simply avoided the pushy one for the rest of our stay.

Perros-Guirec itself is a lovely, lively town – the inland local area of small shops and cafes provided a wonderful morning of people watching and browsing. Don’t miss the chocolate fountain at the local chocolatier’s tearoom and shop. P-G is also an excellent base for side trips in three directions; neighboring villages to the west offer several choices of restaurants serving superb local seafood.

Our room had a bump-out seating area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Trestraou beach and its broad, curving swath of sand. This view provided many enjoyable sights and sounds during our stay: views of the Sept Iles; views of surfing classes for toddlers and older children; the play of sunlight and cloud on the pink granite rocks of the headlands. The surf sounds were a fine accompaniment and sleep aid at bedtime.

The seating area was graced with a welcome platter of fresh fruit and a lovely orchid; salted caramels appeared as well. The side walls of the room’s upper story had matched sculptures of ship’s figureheads in white and gold: charming mermaids with flowing tresses and lobsters attached to their chests. Do seek out their pictures on the hotel’s website – so worth it!

The draperies (motorized of course), duvet and the bathroom’s tiling scheme are executed in a crisp black/white color scheme, as is the backlit headboard of the king bed. Carpeting is a creamy beige, and the entry hallway has separate built-in closet and shelved cupboards – heaven in terms of storage. The bathroom has double sinks, lots of Nuxe spa products, a stellar shower with built-in seat. The toilet room is across the hall; the bidet and oversized bathtub are in the main bathroom.

In the event that a large flat screen TV is too small, there is a drop-down screen and projection system for your viewing pleasure from bed. We watched a documentary on the seasonal transfer of cows to the high pastures in the French Alps – curiously soothing. There is a cabinet with mini-bar (free) and coffee/tea service items.

Breakfast is served in the main dining room of restaurant La Belouga, affording the same lovely sea view as our room. The draperies here have a delicate tracery design of agapanthus flowers, the hotel’s namesake. The continental breakfast buffet was excellent: a few nods to weight-watching by the spa customers, but also delicious canneles, far Breton, several kinds of croissants, plum and apple tart, many bread and cheese choices. Be sure to sample the cassis preserves.

There are many small, lovely touches in the public spaces: a cozy bar for drinking and reading; jewel-bright lighting in the hallways; charming photos of Charlie Chaplin’s filmography. The hotel’s exterior and grounds are also beautiful, from the grassy lawn with tables at the back of the main building, to the lush plantings of agapanthus bordering the front entrance. Do keep in mind that the upper floor of the Villa Desirade is accessed only by a spiral staircase – not good if one has limited mobility.