Chateau Chissay - Loire Valley
 

We are a family of 4 (7yrs & 5yrs) travelling to France in Sep 05. We are looking at booking this Chateau for 3 nights at about 200 euros per night. Any opnions or can someone suggest a better place.

Don't know about individual chateaux-hotels but the sweet small village of Chissay is as nice as they come - quintessential bucolic French village.

We stayed there some time ago--like maybe 5 or 6 years--so this isn't a current review but we loved it. Very charming place. Pool should please your little ones. It's an honest to goodness chateau/castle with a little chapel and everything. the kids will find it enchanting. Nice restaurant. Nice rooms. You will probably need to climb stairs.

Agree with the last poster on everything. But, be forewarned, the dining room is rather formal and hushed. Could be no-fun for your kids, and, hence you. You might want to give them a snack and put them to bed, then go to the dining room.

You may wish to check out La Roseraie in Chenonceau- just a stone's throw from the famous chateau. We stayed there for a week in 2003 with our two children. We had the "apartment" which consisted of a large livingroom, a large twin bedded room for the boys and a very large master bedroom with an out of tune piano. The bath was large as well. All that for 150E.

The grounds were lovely and, more importantly, there is a decent restaurant attached and a one star Michelin across the street.

We met a number of fellow travellers who returned to our inn for dinner each night because they preferred the food at La Roseraie to the Chateau they were staying at. If my memory serves me correctly- I believe this particular group of guests was staying at the Chateau de Chissay- they loved the accommodation there, just not the food.

I forgot to mention that La Roseraie also has a lovely outdoor pool- great for children (and adults) after a long day of sight-seeing!

We stayed there three years ago and did not especially enjoy it. Our room was somewhat shabby, and our tub did not drain. When we asked to have the drain fixed, the concierge said the hotel would get it repaired before the next guests came.

The dining room is very formal, and I would not think that small children would enjoy it. We felt that the whole experience was overpriced.

Check Karen Brown's website for other possibilities.

The most child friendly place ( and much less expensive) that we stayed in the area was in Amboise not far from the train station. Look up Hotel La Breche in this search function. It is a cosy, friendly place which also serves very good meals. There is a very attractive yard for children to play in with a pingpong table, a little pond with ducks, and a huge hollow tree that you can stand inside. The hotel is a pleasant 10 minute walk across the bridge to the main part of town. We enjoyed being a little away from the crowds.

Don't worry, you and the children will get to see lots of chateaux and castles while you are in the Loire Valley. You don't have to stay in one.