28 Best Hotels in The Loire Valley, France

In 1882 this ivy-covered inn won Henry James's praise, and, thanks to four generations of the Jeudi family, the author might be even more impressed today—this remains one of the Loire's most wonderful auberges, with guest rooms enchantingly accented in toile de Jouy fabrics and Redouté pink-and-blue pastels. Rooms in the main house are comfortably sized; those in the former stables are larger (some overlook a spacious kitchen garden) and more recently renovated, but the best rooms are the quaint quarters in the separate patio cottage near the terrace. Guests are encouraged to relax among the roses in several charming garden areas or lounge around the outdoor heated pool. After an apéro on the garden terrace, settle in at a table in the \"old\" dining room for one of the best gastronomic meals around, where the wood-beam ceiling, glazed terra-cotta walls, and Louis XVI chairs are almost as elegant as chef Antoine Jeudi's entrées. 

Like a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud, this hotel keeps purring along, decade after decade, offering many delights: a romantic twin-tower château, a Loire River vista, tranquil guest rooms (four of the less expensive are in a charming \"Pavillon Renaissance\"), and an excellent restaurant. Fifty years ago Loire Valley guidebooks praised this domain, and things have only gotten better. Chef Arnaud Philippon's Michelin-starred restaurant is set in two salons, one in brilliant golds, the other lighted with chandeliers and stained-glass windows, lined with tapestries, and spectacularly centered on a neo-Gothic, sculpted-wood fireplace. Be sure to reserve in advance.

Its long and storied history is only part of the magic of this picturesque family-owned château that seems right out of a storybook. Renowned in the 1420s for the quality of its warhorses (Joan of Arc visited to refresh her troops), its generations of owners read like a French who's who. Today, the chateau's acres of glorious gardens are a delight to explore and even furnish the organic vegetables and truffles for the onsite gastronomic restaurant and café. The chateau is also known for its themed world-class art exhibitions, bringing together dozens of works by international contemporary artists. The accompanying hotel, housed in a 17th-century stone grange with beamed ceilings, flagstone floors, and antiques, offers all the charm of a medieval castle with 21st-century amenities. Perfect for a day or weekend, the hotel offers a range of activities, from walks and tastings of its estate wines to family events held in the garden.

From the graceful setting—with Blois and the Loire River set out before you—to the luminous interiors and extraordinary dining, staying at Fleur de Loire is an experience to be savored. Guests are welcomed with a serene decor that extends from the common areas to the elegant contemporary rooms, two gourmet restaurants, and a Sisley spa—with sauna, hammam, pool, and fitness room—all in a sophisticated palette of pastel hues flecked with silver and goldlike glints of light shimmering off the river. But the main draw is Christophe Hay’s gastronomic restaurant, where the two-Michelin-starred chef’s deep appreciation for the bounty of the Loire is expressed in dishes of rare refinement. His Armour Blanc bistro (in a separate contemporary building), billed as a “prelude” to the two-star experience, offers plenty of thrills too and is the setting for breakfast, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river, town, and a picturesque bridge. The first-floor pastry shop and bakery serves as a tearoom for gourmet snacks throughout the day.

With its ivy-covered stone, white shutters, mansard roof, dormer windows, and rococo spiral staircase, this hotel looks like an 18th-century François Boucher painting. Inside, the guest rooms (some with original architectural features) are spacious, and, while hardly modern, come with cable TV, free Wi-Fi, and plenty of closet space. A lovely breakfast laden with local products is served in the beamed dining room by a roaring fireplace in winter or on the garden terrace in summer. All in all, this is an excellent value for the money.

Conveniently located on the main shopping street in Orléans, this charming family-run hotel a block from the train/tram station welcomes guests in rooms with fresh floral wall coverings, parquet flooring, and immaculate tiled bathrooms (many as large as the rooms). A rooftop garden terrace offers sweeping views of the city in warmer months, while the lounge is a comfy place for a coffee while perusing L'Abeille's collection of historic books and Joan of Arc memorabilia. The artworks in the rooms comes from the owner's father's family collection, a nice touch in a hotel full of soul.

This grand 17th-century castle—a listed historic monument—set on a gorgeous 100-acre estate is now one of the Loire's standout lodgings, where all the pomp and elegance has been lovingly preserved and tastefully enhanced with contemporary designer furnishings, lighting, and state-of-the-art amenities. At the hotel's gastronomic restaurant, Mémoire, you'll dine in splendor in the chateau's gilded and frescoed salons on dishes that feature ingredients from the domain’s own kitchen gardens and orchards. The Tata Harper spa, set in the former greenhouses, offers relaxing views of the gardens, plus a sauna, a hammam, and a full list of luxury treatments perfect after a day of swimming in the two pools, playing tennis, or biking or walking on the many wooded and garden paths.

Home to one of France's most beauteous châteaux, Azay should rightly have a hotel that befits the town jewel, and this landmark—a three-minute walk from the château gates—nicely fits the bill. Some complain that its fame brings a captive audience, which can result in offhand service. However, guest rooms, which vary in size and style, have character; most are simple, with an antique or two, and many have exposed beams. Public salons are elegant and comfortable, and the excellent wine bar offers gourmet snacks (heavy on the charcuterie, but salads are available too) to accompany two dozen wines by the glass and more by the bottle. Though opening hours are brief (6:30 pm until 8 pm seven days a week), you can order everything from the wine bar menu, plus some hot meals to enjoy in your room until 9:30 pm. 

Revel in the manorial vibe at this regal ivy-clad estate set on 170 acres of manicured gardens and woods. Roomy dwellings in the château, carriage house (the best choice for families), or pavilion mix traditional touches (toile de Jouy fabrics, gilt mirrors, oriental rugs) with plush modern furnishings, ample beds, and large contemporary bathrooms. Other amenities include a guests-only Clarins spa (with sauna, hammam, small fitness room, and outdoor pool), a helipad, and a restaurant with a Michelin star that's famous for its style and quality—an evening here glows with sumptuous white bouquets and dazzling dishes. If you can’t get a table (best to reserve that early), the bistro is a formidable second choice. For utmost romance, the château is your best bet—especially one of the balcony suites—but there are no bad choices at this gracious hotel.

It's a winning formula: find a stately manor on a wooded estate in the middle of wine country, add a luxe restaurant and spa, and focus on sustainability and wellness, and this spot has perfected it. Les Sources is the third and most complete of Alice and Jérôme Tourbier's wildly successful hotel brand, where \"emotional luxury\"—i.e., caring for body and soul—is the mantra. Here, guests can relish the château's romantic mix of antique and modern design or opt for one of the ultra-contemporary wood-clad suites clustered around a pond, where wildflowers and tall grasses obscure your private outdoor terrace from view. Gourmet menus at the gastronomic restaurant or soaring bistro and bar (with a spacious outdoor terrace) spotlight local, sustainable, and healthy dishes. The spa by Caudalie, one of France's top natural beauty brands and based on the restorative, anti-aging properties of grapeseed, offers every opportunity for pampering, with both indoor and outdoor pools. There are also yoga, fitness, detox programs, bikes, and hiking boots at your disposal for those who take the credo seriously. Grab a bicycle (electric if you prefer) and peddle to Cheverny, Chambord, or Chenonceau châteaux, all within an hour-and-45-minute ride.

At the very epicenter of historic Saumur, this little 15th- to 17th-century house is hidden beneath the medieval walls of the church of St-Pierre—look for its entrance on one of the pedestrian passages that circle the nave. After being graciously greeted in the sweet reception area, you’ll be ushered up the Renaissance corkscrew staircase (or modern mini-elevator) to a refined guest room. Designer fabrics, antique pont cabinets (forming a \"bridge\" over bed headboards), elegant wainscoting, Persian rugs, tuffeau fireplaces, and bathrooms replete with Paloma Picasso designs make this a favored home-away-from-home for Saumur's most savvy visitors. The rooms facing the church, although smaller, are quieter than those overlooking the road leading up to the castle.

Right on Chinon's most charming square—a picture postcard come to life with a splashing fountain and a bevy of cafés—stands this agreeable inn, which has been housing guests since 1577. Many regional notables lodged here before the Revolution, when it became the Hôtel Lion d'Or, the first hostelry in the region. The wood-beam rooms are comfortable and cozy; some overlook two tiny, flowerpot-bedecked courtyards, while others take in views that include Chinon's fortress. The restaurant, Nemrod (closed Sunday and Monday), serves regional cuisine, and there's also a brasserie for lighter, less expensive fare.

A 15th-century jewel of a castle, once a retreat of kings François I and Henri IV, is today the country setting for the Prince de Broglie's hotel set on magnificent grounds. Owner Prince Louis-Albert is a famed biodiversity preservationist, who cultivates 650 types of tomatoes in the château's potager (vegetable garden). It's not surprising that the three main public salons are suavely done up in shades of tomato red, offsetting the immense marble fireplace, taxidermied animals (by De Broglie own's Deyrolle, Paris's famed taxidermist), and curio cabinet objects collected by the prince. Inside the neo-Renaissance castle, guest rooms range from the grand—François-Premier is a timber-roof cottage blown up to ballroom dimensions—to more standard-issue. The adjoining 17th-century \"stables\" are fitted out with a gardening shop and a tiny eatery. The enormous secluded pool is welcome on hot summer days.

Filled with the mystery of the past—this was once the fabled redoubt of the Protestant plotters in the 1559 Amboise Conspiracy—Château de Noizay is fitted out with Renaissance chimneys and salons, a parterre garden, and guest rooms so regal that you may feel like bowing or curtsying to the staff. The adjacent 19th-century \"Clock House\" is a gracious pastel-hue haven. Noizay itself is a tiny, off-the-beaten-path treasure—don't miss the idyllic countryside hike down Rue François-Poulenc, past the famous composer's pretty 18th-century house, a troglodyte hamlet, and endless poppy fields right out of a Monet painting.

Feel royally pampered at this château a few miles from Saumur, where the highlight is the panorama of Loire River and valley majestically spread out before it. The stately, alluring property has lovely grounds, a fine on-site restaurant (Le Castellane) and bar, and spacious rooms done up in Renaissance-era glamour, complete with elegant antique furnishings, large fireplaces, yards of damask, gilding, and other royal touches. Families can opt for one of the property's 15 two-bedroom residences with a private entrance and terrace; there's even miniature golf, and tennis and basketball courts.

If touring the châteaux of the Loire doesn’t quite satisfy your taste for luxury, come live like a royal at this supremely romantic estate, set among stately French gardens and woods, where even the staff dresses the part. Extravagant even by French interiors star Jacques Garcia’s standard, these sumptuous rooms—named after royal mistresses and queens—sport precious tapestries, original oil paintings, gorgeous antiques, gilded mirrors, and miles of silk damask and velvet, much of it in Garcia’s signature scarlet. As indulgence here is a way of life, the gastronomic restaurant’s multiple courses (served according to 17th-century protocol) equals its lavish decor with a wine list to satisfy persnickety connoisseurs. Spa treatments with sought-after French beauty brands, a sauna, a hot tub and outdoor pool, a 1940’s Morgan touring car and e-bikes at your disposal, and gourmet picnic baskets for romantic escapades complete your royal visit.

Set within the medieval splendor of Fontevraud, this series of outbuildings was once the abbey's lepers' hospice, but you'd never know it—a gorgeous, understated redesign has made it one of the more unusual hotels in the Loire Valley. In a muscular Romanesque side wing, the erstwhile monks' and nuns' cells have been transformed into small but alluring guest rooms, where minimalist chic rules the day and soft grays and whites complement the fine wood accents (the linens and mattresses are even custom-made). The more expensive rooms have baths rather than showers, and some have breathtaking vaulted ceilings. The entrance opens into the vast salle capitulaire (conference room), and the cloisters now house a gastronomic restaurant (reservations essential), where Bocuse d'Or winner and Michelin-starred chef Thibaut Ruggeri prepares such delicacies as venison dressed with root vegetables and turbot glazed with abbey-made honey. Staying here lets you explore the abbey grounds when its gates are closed to the public, which is itself an exceptional experience.

A stately lime tree stands sentinel behind wrought-iron, wisteria-framed gates outside this 17th-century mansion with a surprisingly modern interior on a calm street between the Hôtel de Ville and the river. An extreme makeover has given these interiors a spiffy, contemporary air. The blazing red reception area, smartly adorned with modern seating, segues to the upstairs guest rooms, which are rather petit; most guest rooms are decorated in sunny yellow or pastel tones.

It may not be high luxury, but this welcoming family hotel set in a small village among rolling vineyards about 3 km (2 miles) from Sancerre pretty much checks every other box you can think of for a charming stay. Owned by a ten-generation winemaking family, the attention shown to everything from the impeccably clean and spacious rooms to the top-notch dining in both the bistro and gastronomic restaurant (where you can sample the family wines) demonstrates a deep and abiding connection with the heart and soul of Sancerre. The hotel also offers wine tastings and tours of the family vineyard and picnics.

This unconventional countryside lodging puts a cheeky spin on the traditional chateau hotel. Eccentric layouts in the two contemporary pavilions—some with in-room sinks, ladders to loft rooms, and outside bedrooms (yes, you read that right)—add a frisson of surprise. Lovely grounds and a spacious wooden terrace permit plenty of lounging and outdoor dining, and the hotel’s proximity to the Château de Chaumont, a ten-minute walk away, is a bonus. All the amenities are of a high quality, and the top-notch Le Grand Chaume restaurant, in a dome-topped hut, never disappoints.

Once a Catholic school, this ivy-clad 19th-century building—a 10-minute walk from the Château de Villandry—is now a charming boutique hotel. All 20 rooms are spacious and modern, with comfortable beds and all the amenities, though rooms in the main building tend to be on the larger side, with views of the park. Set on lovely grounds, there are plenty of scenic nooks for some lovely views of the countryside.

An elegant yet laid-back atmosphere defines this stately 18th-century pavilion in the center of Amboise, where airy guest rooms may be done in classic 1930s or contemporary boutique-hotel style; some retain original architectural accents, like exposed beams or heavy wood moldings, and all have refurbished, retro-looking bathrooms. Breakfast can be taken in the salon or on the lovely terrace.

Far from their original role as monastic cells and even further from the Flintstone-influenced idea of cave dwellings, these luxe-prehistoric lodgings—with their limestone walls, chic contemporary style, carved fireplaces, sophisticated lighting, finished marble steps, and riverside setting—exude a quiet luxury amid the soothing elements of stone and water. The 12 cave rooms benefit from large windows and naturally cool temperatures, even in summer. Some guests prefer the three rooms in the regular house—no cave-dwelling drama, but they're comfortable and air-conditioned. The gastonomic restaurant, with an enchanting terrace, offers elegant fare and overlooks the lovely pool and the Loire River. A favored country residence for rich Parisians, the town of Rochecorbon is a treat (once off the main traffic road), thanks to its pretty town center.

In business since 1846, the Anjou has vintage stained glass windows in the Art Deco lobby and spacious, guest rooms featuring high ceilings, double doors and windows, and modern bathrooms. Reasonably priced prix-fixe menus are served in the fine restaurant, Odorico (named for the Italo-Breton artist whose colorful mosaics grace the pretty Art Deco dining room and bar), offering seasonal gourmet cuisine and a generous Sunday brunch. The spa features a sauna, a Nordic bath, and a menu of skincare treatments and massages.

Proximity to the fairy tale Château de Chambord (Disney’s model for Sleeping Beauty’s castle) is this fine hotel’s major bragging point, but it’s far from the only one. The handsome decor, by renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, features historic prints (recalling the hotel’s past as the royal kennels) mixed with contemporary artwork and luxe modern furnishings. Rooms and suites overlooking the château and the lovely Cosson River are the top choice but more expensive while those with views of the gardens offer a delightful serenity. In winter, enjoy a crackling fire in the stately lounge or games in the billiards room. In summer, a drink on the restaurant’s sublime terrace with château views is a must. A small spa offers a sauna, a hammam, and two treatment rooms (advance reservations a must), and the estate also has golf carts, biking, footpaths, and boat rides.