Fodor's Expert Review Le Relais de Franc Mayne

Once a relay station for weary travelers on an ancient Gallo-Roman path, this luxury boutique hotel in the vineyards surrounding St-Émilion today provides considerably more comfort with its eclectic-chic rooms and elegant dining and lounge areas. Owned by the Belgian-French Laviale family, Château Franc Mayne is a grand cru classé property. A state-of-the-art seminar room, tasting room, welcome center, and animated tour of their acres of underground cellar (remnants from 11th-century limestone excavation) make it an interesting base for a few days of wine discovery and relaxation. Ask about the tree-house room—literally up in the trees.