Over 1000 square meters (10,764 square feet) of manicured gardens, olive trees, and lavender bushes surround Le Mas Des Carassins Hotel, which occupies a former 19th-century farmhouse. The beautiful grounds are dotted with various seating, statues, and fountains, creating a peaceful and relaxing environment for the crowd of mostly couples that come here. Owners Pierre and Michel are attentive and receive consistent praise from guests. Expect a homey blend of carved surfaces, terra-cotta tile floors, rustic woods, and lots of artwork. The style varies a bit by common area and room, but the overall effect is elegant and charming. While on-site, guests can make use of the two outdoor pools or fantastic restaurant, though most guests spend their days out exploring the area. 

On a relatively isolated street, removed from neighboring residential properties, the hotel feels remote, despite downtown Saint-Remy-de-Provence being within 15 minutes on foot. Cafe and restaurant terraces dot charming squares near the main Boulevard Victor Hugo, a 10-minute walk away. Wednesday morning markets are popular for browsing local produce amidst medieval alleys with old fountains. Once home to the artist, Van Gogh's Asylum is an 11-minute walk, as are the Alpilles Museum and Saint-Paul de Mausole Monastery. Glanum's Roman ruins are a few minutes farther, and for those with a vehicle, neighboring towns and villages are great to explore. It's a 35-minute drive for both Arles and Avignon (which has a train station) and just 15 minutes by car for picturesque Les-Baux-de-Provence. Pink flamingos on Camargue's beaches are a 45-minute drive. Allow 22-minute drives for Avignon Airport and closer to 50 minutes for Marseille Airport.

Individually styled rooms have country-chic decor and are divided between the main farmhouse and a newer building with private terraces. Unfortunately, the lower-level farmhouse rooms can be dark and suffer noise from the restaurant, and Standard Rooms are a bit compact. The design varies between rooms, but upgraded units have more elegant furnishings such as bed canopies and intricately carved wooden furniture. Across the board, amenities include satellite flat-screen TVs, minibars, kettles alongside tea and coffee, safes, and desks with chairs. On the downside, air-conditioning units can be noisy and the free Wi-Fi can be temperamental. Suites have living areas. Garden or Alpilles mountain vistas are lovely. Older bathrooms have shower/tub combos with handheld showerheads, while updated ones have walk-in rainfall showers. Bathroom sizes vary, but all have free toiletries, hairdryers, slippers and bathrobes.

There are no spa or gym facilities at this property, but excellent dining and pool facilities go above the three-pearl rating. The free buffet breakfast gets rave reviews, featuring eggs, bacon, and sausages alongside a great continental spread of breads, pastries, smoked salmon, fresh fruit, yogurts, and cheeses. Note that some guests have said that certain foods aren't replenished near the end of breakfast. Guests can accompany chef Yvan to markets and a local goat farm for cooking classes, and his Table D'Yvan restaurant offers gourmet tasting menus with great Provencal dishes. Classy dining terraces in the gorgeous garden are romantic with evening music. Two outdoor pools are open year-round (albeit unheated), and lined with loungers. Projectors in two meeting rooms are useful for seminars, and the hotel rents out bikes. Parking and Wi-Fi are free.