Hotel Monte d'Oro

Perched in the hills around Vizzavona, this country retreat was an old fave with the British writer Dorothy Carrington (author of the classic Corsican tome, Granite Island), and the former railway lodge is stuffed with more history than your average encyclopedia.

Battered armchairs, ancient wallpaper, wonky picture frames and well-used walking sticks are dotted around the downstairs lounges, and you'll find a similar flavour of days gone by drifting around the hotel's 45 old-world rooms. Don't expect any razor-edge furniture or Philippe Starck lighting - this is definitely a hotel from the old school, and you'll be lucky to find anything more than a cast-iron bed and a few bits of scuffed-up furniture decorating your room. But despite its shabby turn-of-the-century façade, spartan decor and occasionally clunky piping, the hotel still manages to be completely delightful. It's a welcome refuge from the trappings of the 21st century, run with customary Corsican hospitality by the same family since 1904. Hearty food and the uniquely homely atmosphere ensure that it stays perennially popular with hikers and holidaymakers alike - book well ahead.