La Ferme Saint Siméon
Five Star Hotel | Honfleur, France
The back patio area of the La Ferme Saint Siméon
What You Need to Know
The port in Honfleur, France.
The Area:
La Ferme Saint Siméon is located on the Norman coast of France in the town of Honfleur. Honfleur is within the Calvados department (known for their apple brandy that this reviewer just can’t get enough of). Due to its location on the estuary where the Seine river meets the English Channel, the town was initially a port city known for its trading. The Vieux-Bassin (or old harbor) is lined with 16th to 18th century townhomes once owned by the wealthy traders of the town. Now, the old harbor is lined with restaurants and shops geared towards tourists. And while the La Ferme Saint Siméon is within Honfleur, it is about a 10 minute walk to the old harbor.
The Property:
The La Ferme Saint Siméon is a five star hotel overflowing with history. Upon our arrival, the concierge gave us a tour of the property and shared part of its long history: at one point, the inn hosted lepers in the community but by the 1800’s the inn had a new type of resident: Impressionist artists, including Claude Monet, who rented the inn for 40 francs a week. Already impressed that one of my favorite artists called this place home, the concierge continued to wow us with reproductions of some of the many paintings that were painted by the artists during their stay at the inn. Apparently, the as yet known artists gave the owner, Madame Toutain, paintings during their stay. The originals are now displayed in museums around the world.
Our tour of La Ferme Saint Siméon continued to the back of the property. Located on an estuary, the inn offers sweeping views with ample amounts of privacy. Lounging areas are set up throughout the property allowing guests to enjoy views of the estuary and the cool Norman climate. The side of the inn is littered with beautiful gardens that only elevate the beauty of the grounds and the surrounding area.
La Ferme Saint Siméon, while beautiful, was lacking in amenities. At the time of our visit (summer 2024) the aquatic area and fitness room were undergoing renovations and not available to guests. At the time of this post, amenities included:
2 dedicated restaurants
1 bar
A small, temporary spa treatment area
Complimentary high speed Wifi
Private, gated free parking
Pet-friendly
Our Review
*For a quick review, scroll down to the next section.
The Room:
For our stay, we opted for the Superior Room overlooking the estuary (starting at 530€/per night). We were located in the auxiliary building in the recently renovated segment of the La Ferme Saint Siméon. I had high expectations for the room after seeing the charm of the landing area and staircase (note: there was an elevator but we opted to use the stairs). The room did not disappoint. It was a good size with sufficient room for the two of us, however, we were traveling with three suitcases and found it difficult to find a place to put them that was not in our way.
The queen size bed was comfortable (a bit more on the soft side) and situated in front of the windows so the view of the estuary could be enjoyed. Note: the view in our room was not exceptional as it overlooked the back of the property towards the rigs on the estuary.
The room had a small seating area with a bar and mini fridge directly behind. A dresser was located in the sitting area but, due to the beams in the room, was a bit difficult to access. The wardrobe was also in the sitting area, was large and offered more than enough hangers. As is to be expected, the room was equipped with a Nespresso machine.
The bathroom was cozy and included perhaps the best feature of the room - a large walk-in shower that was equipped with a steam shower. The water pressure was strong and the hot water never ran out. The steam shower, although an amazing perk, took much too long to heat up. After 30 minutes of waiting, I decided to use it as-is. It offered a nice detox and was enjoyable - although, due to the fact that I entered before it had completely warmed up, there was hot steam coming out from under the bench. The vanity area was a bit small for two people but worked well. The bath products offered smelled divine and were gentle on the skin. The toilet area was housed in its own closet, which is always preferred when traveling with a companion.
Most of the electronic features of the room could be controlled by a tablet, although using the switches on the wall was sufficient for us.
The room was beautifully and tastefully renovated, invoking a sense of charm and warmth. We did not have any issue with noise other than the heels of someone outside our front door during one of the days. The air conditioning was ice cold which was needed due to the heavy duvet on the bed. Note: In France, a sheet is not typical on beds leaving only the duvet to cover you during sleep.
The Restaurants:
As usual, we opted to dine on property. Honestly, we were torn between a well rated restaurant in the old town, but knew, for the sake of this review, we should eat on property. The first evening we attempted to get a table at La Boucane, the bistro located in an adorable thatched roof building. There was no seating available for that evening or the next. Because of this we ordered room service. The menu was severely lacking and we had a choice of only 4 or 5 items in total.
The second evening we dined at Les Impressionnistes, the La Ferme Saint Siméon’s main restaurant. The setting was lovely and the menu was set with an option of four, six or eight courses. We opted for the six courses at a cost of 145€/per person. The meal itself was lackluster and we were quite disappointed in everything except the cheese selection. The impressive cart of local cheeses offered a variety of options and we found the variations of goat cheese quite pleasing. At the end of the evening, the 400€+ price tag (including a bottle of wine) left us wishing we had eaten at a local restaurant near the harbor.
A breakfast option was offered each day at a cost of 45€/per person, but after the poor dining experiences thus far we thought we were better served eating at the harbor.
The Amenities:
As mentioned earlier, the fitness and aquatic centers were closed for renovations during our stay. As usual, I elected to have a massage. I selected the 50 minute deep tissue massage. The treatment room wasn’t what you would typically expect but I am sure this is due to the renovation of the spa. Regardless, the massage was incredible - so much so that I made it a point to share with the masseuse that it was one of the top five massages I have ever had.
A large plus for us was the onsite parking. The parking area was ample so we had no issue finding a parking spot.
Our rating:
La Ferme Saint Siméon is a lovely inn located just a few minutes from the old town in Honfleur, France. The staff was incredibly friendly and spoke fairly good English. The natural setting, historic charm and storied past added to our overall appreciation of the hotel. Had the restaurant been better we may have ranked it higher, but we still felt it deserved a solid 9 out of 10. If you ever find yourself in the Normandy region of France it is worth the trip to Honfleur to stay at La Ferme Saint Siméon.
Quick Review: For those who prefer just the highlights.
The Good:
The estate was breathtaking with views of the of the Seine estuary.
The hotel has an extensive history including housing Claude Monet as a monthly tenant.
The rooms were tastefully remodeled to enhance the history of the hotel.
The beds were incredibly soft and the pillows ranged from firm to soft.
The steam shower in the room is a huge bonus and probably my favorite perk of the hotel.
The water pressure is strong with ample hot water for long, hot showers.
The rooms are quiet, clean, spacious and smelled exceptional.
The air conditioning in the room worked extremely well.
The grounds are expansive and include a rose garden, lounging area and large patio for afternoon cocktails.
There are two restaurants on location - both with top reviews.
The cheese selection at the main restaurant is exceptional (my partner and I recommend the Cumin Chèvre).
The wine list is one of the most robust that I have seen.
The spa was able to accommodate next day appointments.
The custom massage was a 10 out of 10 and ranks as one of the best I’ve ever had.
The staff is friendly and eager to help.
Ample on-site parking alleviated the stress of finding parking.
It’s a quick 10 minute walk to the center of Honfleur.
The Not So Good:
The room service menu is lacking.
Due to the beams in the room, it is a bit difficult to access the drawers for clothing.
Dinner at the restaurant was lacking, and fell a bit short of it’s high price tag.
The fitness center and pool are closed due to renovations (as of June 2024).
The Bistro was unable to be booked for any of the nights that we were there.
Rating: 9 out of 10.
