Relais Bernard Loiseau

Relais Bernard Loiseau Review

Still bearing the name of the fabled chef who met an untimely end in 2003, this restaurant-inn—originally a historic coaching auberge—maintains the superlative cuisine, soigné setting, and stratospheric prices that first made this the greatest culinary temple in Burgundy. Guest rooms combine exposed beams and glass panels with cheerful traditional furnishings; a newer annex has the most comfortable (and air-conditioned) rooms, while the more stylish accommodations (styles range from Louis XVI to Empire) are in the main house. Some rooms are tiny (one is complete with porthole window), some are luxurious (one has a comfy balcony overlooking the countryside)—no matter which you book, try to get a room facing the gorgeous garden courtyard. In the restaurant, chef Patrick Bertron continues to turn out a feather-light nouvelle version of rich Burgundian fare pioneered by Bernard Loiseau, one of France's culinary superstars. The decor is also delicious: a chapel-like wood-beam dining room with a lush flower garden radiating around it, with a spectacular exterior spiral staircase the cynosure of all eyes.