We photographers often travel.  Arnie and I certainly do.  With more days on the road than at home last year, we spend a lot of time in hotels.  We are blessed with wonderful house sitters that enable us to this and keep things organized at home during our absence.  Bringing in the mail, opening and sorting it, answering phone calls when we are out of the country, depositing checks, making sure MooseCat gets lots of TLC, taking care of the plants, and the myriad of other things that go into running a business and household.

Those of you who travel know what I mean.

Hotels are our home away from home, especially for those of us who spend more than one night in a location, such as for photo workshops.  This last trip to Europe, we were fortunate to stay in some very nice and accommodating places.  Places that were supportive of our photography and workshops.

On the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands, there was the Ardvasar Hotel on a narrow side road in Sleat (pronounced Slate) toward the southern end of the Isle.  

Our room (yes, the one in the banner at this link) was charming, spacious, and comfortable with a view overlooking the West Highland Cattle in the pasture across the lane, then on across the water to the mainland.

One night, we got back after dinner hours. We knew that and expected nothing more than some libation, “And might you have some peanuts?”

Richard Jeffrey, our wonderful host and owner of the Ardvasar, asked if we would like some soup.

“Oh no,” we replied, “We know the kitchen is closed.”

“It’s no bother. After all, when I am alone, I do it for myself. You cannot survive on peanuts.”

And so, he brought us two bowls of lovely squash soup that was out of this world.

With an excellent selection of beers and single malts, and tasty meals, we were very content while on the final scouting part of our trip.  Alas, the Ardvasar was full for the workshop time slot, but Richard, was so accommodating that he welcomed us to use the common area for our imaging. Of course, we thanked him and ate most of our lunches there. He also enjoyed looking at our participants’ work.

Just a short walk down the road was a little cove where a view of the afterglow on the mountains was magnificent.

In Provence, we returned to our favorite Mas (old farmhouse) that I found last year, Mas des Capelans in Oppède in the heart of the Luberon, run by Françoise and her husband Pierre.

A charming couple, they could not do enough for us. When would we like lunch? Would we like to have a special celebration toward the end of our workshop with Pétanque and Pastiche?

I usually got up before the others to try to maintain control over my Inbox and write my blog. Pierre, also an early bird, would bring me a pot of hot water and favorite herbal tea. It was those extra touches that made our stay so special, not to mention Françoise’s fabulous cuisine. Every day, as our participants did their imaging, Françoise would do the rounds and see what people had done.

“Pierre, viens ici. Tu doit voir cette photo.” 

And Pierre would come in and admire the daily selections from our group.

And then, there was Paris. Arnie found a fabulous hotel in the heart of the 5ème Arrondissement (Quartier Latin), Hôtel du Panthéon, facing the Panthéon which has a long and varied history, but now serves as a memorial to all the men and women of note in France.

This Hotel and its four sister hotels, part of a group called Hôtels Paris Rive Gauche (HPRG), are very strong supporters of photography. When we entered the hotel, there was a photograph they had commissioned of a couple in 19th century dress in the hotel. It had been transferred onto a glass wall. She was looking back over her shoulder in a graceful manner, and the stairway rose up behind her, echoing the real stairway just on the other side of the glass. The photograph is charming and beautifully done.

Each year, HPRG arranges for five photographers to photograph each one of the hotels. This year, Steve McCurry, whose exhibit we saw in one of the West Bank galleries, was one of the Magnum group of photographers the hotel group engaged. We believe he photographed our hotel.

The hotel describes the project, in part:

In 2005, the Hôtels Paris Rive Gauche group initiated its photo project “A hotel photo, an artist’s view” with the aim of supporting the arts and contemporary photography. The project is based on a simple concept: one photographer, one single photo and one piece of text inspired by one night spent at one of the hotels.

HPRG then produces a beautiful book with gorgeous photographs that they give to each guest.

As our participants did their imaging, Stéphanie Duval, manager of the hotel and our very helpful contact, came by and looked at the photographs. “Who is the artist,” she asked. That could not have made us happier, as photography is certainly an art form, often under appreciated in the US, but quite celebrated at this group of hotels.

And, the rooms were very comfortable, the breakfasts tasty, and the service superb.

So, we were lucky, but we also did our homework, researching locations and reviews. The support of photography, however, is not something one easily finds ahead of time, and we were no different. The fact that these three places were so supportive, particularly Hôtel du Panthéon, was a bonus. We will definitely return to all three in the future.

Next: A Same Place – Different View from one of our workshops and participants.

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