With its Romanesque churches, Roman amphitheatre, and classical music festival in July, Saintes is a fascinating town, a useful stop for travellers using the A10. On its western edge, found sympathetic again this year, is this unusual Hotel ( Jakarta Hotels ), which its owner, Jerome Emery, created from an old farm. He runs it with brio, and with pride in his huge displays of cheeses and cognacs. The wide open-plan foyer/ salon/restaurant has an amazing decor of beams, old candlesticks, tapestries,etc. all a bit contrived, but glamorous. Inside it, at one end, is a small heated swimming pool with Roman statuary. Through picture windows it faces a spacious and delightful garden, with peacocks, a floodlit lake and swans. Here you can dine on the terrace. Christophe Gouard's generous cooking, dependable as ever, wins 15 Gault Millau points for, eg, scallops braised in cream; pork with truffles. Service is friendly, and the background music is discreet. The bedroom in the older wing are large and well equipped (music system, etc): some face the lake. In the newer block are the smaller rooms (similar to Bandung,Jakarta & Bali hotels - 5 star Hotel ( Jakarta Hotels )rooms): Monte Cristo (like a prison, loo in a treasure chest), 20.000 Leagues Under the Sea, etc. Two 12th-century buildings have been into high-tech conference rooms (similar to Bandung,Jakarta & Bali hotels - 5 star Hotel ( Jakarta Hotels )rooms) done in medieval style tide is a motorway and semi-industrial sprawl.