10 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. 

Small enough to feel like a home, stuffed with lovely 18th-century decor, and replete with a beautiful river terrace, this overlooked treasure provides an unforgettable experience in the Loire. Other château-hotels may have pomp, but this has something more precious: authenticité. Once the property of the Marquis de Vaudreuil, first French governor of Louisiana, it was purchased by the current owner’s family in 1779. At the end of a long allée, this \"pavillon Mansart\" embraces you in a semicircular layout (the collier, or necklace). Ten family descendants study you from gilded Charles-Dix frames in the comely main salon, a confectionery of white rococo moldings, glittering chandeliers, and furniture that Madame Bovary would have loved. The breakfast room is covered with quaint 16th-century Italian frescoes, and each guest room is a bouquet of antiques and comfy furniture.

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.

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.

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.

Tree-dwelling has never been so tranquil, or so glam, than at these 18 perched wooden cabins set among the branches of towering oak and chestnut trees in the heart of a 750-acre forest. Wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows immerse you in nature, but you’re close enough to your neighbors to feel more secluded than stranded. Each cabin has a unique theme (you can choose when booking) but all have spacious outdoor terraces, hot tubs, and all the modern amenities. Breakfasts are delivered picnic-style to your cabin and for lunch and dinner you can opt for the gourmet restaurant (focusing on healthy seasonal dishes) in the main building, a restored farmhouse. There’s no fitness room or spa but you have the great outdoors and a massive outdoor pool with plenty of lounging space (and massages can be booked in your room or at the Bee Lodge in the garden). Bikes are available to enjoy the nearby walking trails or for visits to the Villandry or Chenonceau châteaux, both an hour ride away.

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.

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.

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.