I am a dedicated Francophile, foodie, and fan of the luxury crystal brand Lalique, and all three are catered to above and beyond at this ultra-boutique, five-star hotel in the verdant French village of Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace near the German border.

Located near the vast Lalique factory, which fuses traditional and super hi-tech production techniques, the Villa has six suites, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, and is decorated throughout with Lalique products. The property, which dates back just over 100 years and was designed by René Lalique himself as his family home, has been reborn in its current incarnation with its interior design by Lady Tina Green, wife of retail tycoon Sir Philip, and Pietro Mingarelli.

After flying into Basel in Switzerland (and back home direct from Frankfurt), I travel to the Villa by taxi, and am wowed by its grand presence in a tranquil rural setting as we head up the driveway. The reception is decorated with items including sculptures and a leaf-green vase atop a glass table, while the property is part of the group that also includes The Glenturret Lalique restaurant in Crieff, a tie-up with what is said to be Scotland’s oldest working distillery.

Villa Rene Lalique, Alsace, France. Pic: Contributed

Room service

Each suite is different, all inspired by historic Lalique creations. Mine is named after the birds known in French as “Hirondelles” and in English as swallows – a nod to René’s love of nature, and indeed there is a black and white portrait of the man himself (who strikes me as Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s doppelganger) on the wall. The room is decorated with black lacquered furniture and shiny red fabric, with Lalique’s grapes motif everywhere from the mirror frame to the bed’s headboard. I am also pleased to see the huge tub in the cream-coloured bathroom.

Worth getting out of bed for

The hotel is near the Musée Lalique, which displays more than 650 pieces, including jewellery, decanters, and a wealth of perfume bottles, plus vivid photos of Lalique factory staff at work. It is as fascinating as it is dazzling, and explains how René was a pioneer, for example credited with being the “father” of costume jewellery, and Art Deco master glassmaker who displayed his wares at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900, while one quote on the wall describes him as a “veritable magician”. I want to have everything on display parcelled up and taken home with me.

The Villa's Hirondelles suite. Picture: Gilles Pernet.

Additionally, Wingen-sur-Moder being located in the Northern Vosges Regional Nature Park means you can, say, go hiking or borrow an e-bike from the Villa.

Wining and dining

At the Villa, we take a peek at its wine cellar, which is home to 60,000 bottles and whose design includes 14 crystal panels created by Lalique and artist Damien Hirst. There, we meet highly acclaimed head sommelier Romain Iltis, who lets us try a Champagne, in a nod to the French region of the same name where Rene was born, and served in a Lalique glass with its distinctive textured stem. (Late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld used to only drink Diet Coke out of Lalique glasses).

We then make our way to the restaurant, the domain of Austrian-born chef Paul Stradner, and work our way through the “three-step waltz” menu. I choose a starter of yellowtail and rock crab, which arrives as three precisely presented cylinders, with garnishes including edible flowers. Accompanying wines include a Mélanie Pfister Riesling from Alsace - when in Rome, and all that.

Monochrome decor in the property's lounge area. Picture: Reto Guntli.

The next day we have lunch at sister property Château Hochberg nearby, which is just across the road from the museum, and is also a hotel, with 15 rooms and suites. I dust off my rusty French to order the coquilles St Jacques, tender, garlic-scented scallops, while each table has flowers in one of Lalique’s distinctive “Bacchantes” vases.

Budget or boutique

Ultra boutique- for example the Villa sells a more high-end range of “souvenirs” than most hotel gift shops - a host of Lalique products, including vases and perfumes.

Little extras

The hotel offer the chance to experience some “forest bathing” in a tie-up with sophrologist (a specialist in a relaxation technique) and ecotherapist Manuela Peschmann to “reconnect with nature, relax and embrace peacefulness”.

Guestbook comments

Villa René Lalique says it symbolises the French “art of living” – fusing heritage and high-calibre hospitality to sometimes-flashy effect.Suites at Villa René Lalique start at €435 (£384) per night excluding breakfast and tax. Villa René Lalique, 18 rue Bellevue, 67290 Wingen-sur-Moder, France, tel: +33 (0)3.88.71.98.98.Read More

Review: Villa René Lalique, Alsace, France – Scotland on Sunday Travel