- Introduction: A Royal Visit To Versailles
- Review: Air France La Premiere First Class Boeing 777 (MIA-CDG)
- Review: Air France La Premiere First Class Arrivals Lounge Paris Airport (CDG)
- Review: Airelles Chateau De Versailles, Le Grand Controle (AMAZING!)
- Review: Bulgari Hotel Paris, France
- Review: Air France Business Class Airbus A220 (CDG-VIE)
- Review: Park Hyatt Vienna, Austria (World Of Hyatt Gem)
During our royal visit to Versailles, we spent two nights at the 14-key Airelles Chateau de Versailles, Le Grand Controle. Staying at this hotel was our main motivation for taking this trip. I had very high expectations, but OMG, even those high hopes were exceeded. This hotel is an absolute masterpiece.
In the past few years, I’ve become a huge fan of boutique French hotel brand Airelles, and at the moment, it’s my favorite hotel group. So far, I’ve reviewed Les Airelles Courchevel, Airelles La Bastide de Gordes, Airelles Saint-Tropez Chateau de la Messardiere, and Airelles Val d’Isère. There was only one Airelles property we hadn’t yet visited, and this was it.
Airelles Chateau de Versailles is unlike any hotel I’ve stayed at before. The biggest selling point of this property is that it gives you special access to the Palace of Versailles, even at times when it’s closed to the public (you get a morning and evening visit). The level of access is truly incredible.
But even beyond that, this property is astonishingly good in every way, with perfect service, and so much effort put into transporting you back in time, in the best way possible. This isn’t your typical luxury hotel experience — I’d say it’s a hybrid between a luxury hotel, a history safari, and an immersive, performative experience.
I mean, when’s the last time your wake up call consisted of someone scratching on your door, walking in with a lantern and live music, opening your curtains, making a bath for you, and serving you an orange-infused almond milk drink, like Marie Antoinette had back in the day? The whole thing was every bit as cool as it was awkward (note: this wake up is optional). 😉
Airelles Chateau de Versailles isn’t cheap — quite to the contrary, it’s really expensive — but you really feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. This is very differently than dropping a couple grand a night on a base room at a luxury resort factory.
In this post:
Booking Airelles Chateau de Versailles
Airelles Chateau de Versailles has 14 rooms, and no two rooms are alike. So under normal circumstances, even finding availability for one of the lower room categories can be challenging, given the amount of demand for this property.
We planned last minute, and fortunately the base category (which is a deluxe room) was available to book, at the rate of €2,200 per night. This is the absolute lowest rate that you’ll ever find at the property, and that’s what we paid. All stays here include a variety of perks:
- At the hotel, you receive butler service, an Alain Ducasse breakfast and afternoon tea, complimentary minibar drinks (including alcohol), and pool and spa access
- At the Palace of Versailles, you receive unlimited access to the Orangery Garden, exclusive tours of the Palace of Versailles in the evenings and of the Domaine de Trianon in the morning, and use of golf carts to discover the grounds
Optionally, you can upgrade to the Royal Stay package, which is an extra €400 per night, based on double occupancy. The only difference is that you get the Royal Feast dinner included (with non-alcoholic drinks), which is quite the experience. That ordinarily retails for €300 per person, and it’s definitely part of the experience of staying here.
So it’s a no-brainer to book the Royal Stay package for a one night stay. For a two night stay, the choice is less obvious, though note that in place of the Royal Feast, you can also dine in the lounge area, have room service, etc., since you may not want to have the massive Royal Feast twice.
I should also mention that stays at the property come with a 15% destination fee. Usually rates in Europe are all-in (or close to all-in), but that destination fee obviously reflects the incredibly special access you get.
Rates available directly with Airelles are bookable through Virtuoso, so that’s how Ford booked us. This offers additional perks, including an upgrade subject to availability, a $100 property credit, and more.
Airelles Chateau de Versailles location & history
For those not familiar with Versailles in general, it’s a city around 10 miles west of Paris. It’s a charming city in and of itself, but for visitors, it’s commonly known for the Palace of Versailles.
When it comes to getting there, traffic can vary greatly in the area, though you can expect it’ll take a little over an hour from Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), while it’s maybe 30 minutes or so to Paris, depending on where you’re going.
As the name suggests, Airelles Chateau de Versailles is located directly on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. It’s the only hotel with such a location, and the only hotel to offer such special access to the grounds. I wouldn’t say I’m the world’s biggest history buff, but even I more than appreciated just how special it is to stay on the grounds of such a storied place, and getting to see the Palace without the crowds.

For those curious about the property’s history, the hotel as such opened in 2021. The story is that the Palace of Versailles was looking for a hotel partner, and Airelles was chosen (I don’t think they could have picked a better partner). The actual building that the hotel is housed in dates back to 1681, as it was built by Louis XIV’s architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. It was once home to the Palace’s Finance Controller, hence the “Le Grand Controle” name.
The building sat empty for years, but Airelles reportedly spent €55 million to make it what it is today. That’s not just in terms of the “bones” of the building and converting it into a hotel, but also in terms of trying to recreate the past as much as possible. Some of the furniture in the building is even original, and was sourced from auctions and antique shops, and restored.
Airelles Chateau de Versailles lobby & check-in
We arrived at Airelles Chateau de Versailles in the early afternoon. We were immediately greeted by bellmen, who took care of our bags, and escorted us to the lobby. The second you arrive at the hotel, you really are transported back in time.
That’s not only the case based on the hotel’s physical appearance, but also based on the uniforms the staff are wearing, the music playing throughout the hotel, etc. The hotel’s lobby is charming, almost exactly what you’d expect for a property like this.



Even beyond the central part of the lobby, the effort put into paying tribute to the property’s history is next level. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this place is haunted (and maybe it is, but if there’s a place where I’m fine with being abducted by ghosts, then an Airelles is a pretty good place for that to happen).



Despite its unique decor, I was immediately reminded that we were at an Airelles property, based on the number of sweets everywhere. Airelles is owned by French entrepreneur Stephane Courbit, who also owns Laduree, and I swear you can’t walk more than a few feet at an Airelles property without having a plate of macarons staring at you.

Our check-in process was friendly and efficient, as we were taken care of by the lovely Quentin, who then handed us over to Pauline, our butler for the stay. At that point we were escorted up to our room.
Our room could be accessed either via the adorable elevator, or via the curved staircase.


Airelles Chateau de Versailles room
Aside from the entry level deluxe rooms, all rooms at the Airelles Chateau de Versailles are named. For booking through Virtuoso, we received a one category upgrade to the Baron de Staël-Holstein room, which is room 203, on the second floor.

At 50 square meters (538 square feet), this is quite a generously sized room, especially when you consider it’s just one level up from the entry room category. The room featured an entryway with the bathroom to the left, the minibar to the right, and the rest of the room straight ahead.

The first thing I noticed about the room was the hot air balloon theme. Before I even had the chance to ask, Pauline explained the inspiration for that. The wallpaper is an ode to the fact that the first hot air balloon ride in history happened in Versailles, all the way back in 1783. This is the only room to have such wallpaper, which really shows you how much thought is put into this property.
The room boasted a very comfortable king size bed, with a plush mattress and four pillows.

The room also had a large sitting area, with a loveseat, a chair for lounging, and a desk with a chair.



To keep the historic theme going, there’s no TV in the room, and there’s a “technology box,” with an iPad and phone hidden from sight, should you need those modern accessories. 😉

The bathroom was then back near the entrance and down the hall, and featured double sinks, a soaking tub, and a walk-in shower.




Toiletries were in reusable containers, from Jardins Baulieu. There was also a box with virtually any bathroom amenity you could think of, from a hair brush, to a dental kit.


The toilet was then in a separate room, and had its own sink.


Our room had a view of the surrounding area, with views of parts of the Palace of Versailles in one direction.

Also near the entrance was the minibar, where everything is complimentary, and replenished daily. This isn’t one of those free minibars with just a few crappy items, but rather, there’s a massive selection of snacks and drinks.



Yes, to be clear, all of the below drinks are included. Obviously this hotel charges a lot, but they also offer a lot. By the way, you’ll see the Château d’Estoublon wine consistently offered, and that’s because Airelles’ owner also has a stake in that winery.

Airelles is incredibly generous when it comes to welcome gifts, and ongoing gifts beyond that. For example, waiting in our room on arrival were some macarons (which aren’t exactly in short supply at Airelles properties), plus a bottle of water.

On top of that, there was an Airelles branded bag, Airelles pajamas, a journal, and more.


Airelles properties offer nightly gifts with turndown service, and they’re all very cute. The first evening, that included eyeshades and a jewelry box of sorts.

On the second evening, the gifts were more personalized, with a stuffed animal for our son, plus a towel (or something?) with our dog’s name on it. How cute!



Airelles Chateau de Versailles spa & pool
Airelles Chateau de Versailles has a gorgeous wellness area, located one level down from the lobby. As you walk down the hallway to the pool, that already sets the tone for what you can expect…

For one, the hotel has a spa in partnership with Valmont. I didn’t get any treatments, but you can find all the details here.


Then you have the 15-meter pool, which OMG, I don’t even know how to describe this place. I… I… I’ve never seen a pool like this before. This might just be the coolest and most unusual decor I’ve ever seen for a hotel’s pool. It’s serving haunted house funeral home realness, in the best way possible. Splendid.





The wellness area also has a sauna and steam room, which guests are welcome to use.


Airelles Chateau de Versailles gym
Airelles Chateau de Versailles has a gym, which can be accessed by guests 24/7 (it’s locked over certain hours, but the staff will unlock it for you). The gym is quite small, and basically consists of three(ish) small rooms that are connected. The gym has two treadmills, an elliptical, a stationary bike, a resistance machine, and some free weights.




Airelles Chateau de Versailles restaurant, bar, and lounge
The entire culinary concept at Airelles Chateau de Versailles was designed in partnership with Alain Ducasse. Let’s briefly talk about the physical spaces that are used, and then we’ll look at the actual food and drinks that are served.
The hotel has Salon d’Audience, which is essentially the lobby lounge, where you can enjoy drinks, snacks, afternoon tea, or even a meal.



There’s also a large outdoor terrace area. While we lucked out with gorgeous February weather, it was still a bit too cold to eat or drink outside, but I’m sure this would be a really nice place to pass time in summer.


The hotel then has the Grand Cabinet and Arrière-Cabinet, which is where breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are served. It’s simultaneously a grand yet intimate space, with just over a dozen tables.



Next, the hotel has Bar de La Chapelle, a two-seat bar. That’s right, the bar has two seats. That’s pretty cool, eh?

Last but not least, the hotel has a large room one level up from the lobby, where guests can just lounge around, or can even enjoy their afternoon tea, for a change of scenery. Service at the property is highly customized, so I’m sure you could also enjoy a meal up here, if you wanted to.


Airelles Chateau de Versailles breakfast
All stays at Airelles Chateau de Versailles include breakfast, and it’s served daily from 7AM until 10AM. It’s called the Royal Breakfast, and I think that’s a fair description. You can find the menu below.

As soon as you sit down, you’re offered drinks, with everything from espresso-based beverages, to tea, to freshly squeezed juice, to Moët champagne (all included).


Then a huge selection of items are placed onto the table, including smoked salmon, cold cuts, fresh goat cheese, vanilla yogurt with granola, chocolate spread, a selection of pastries, and more.


Then there’s a menu you can order off of, with everything from avocado toast, to french toast.


Airelles Chateau de Versailles afternoon tea
All stays at Airelles Chateau de Versailles include afternoon tea, which is served daily from 3:30PM until 4:30PM. This includes a menu where you can select hot drinks of choice.



Then the food selection alternates daily. It’s worth emphasizing that a lot of effort is put into trying to come up with dishes inspired from hundreds of years ago, so some of the flavors are different than we might be used to. Nonetheless, afternoon tea was delicious, particularly the sweets.
Below was our selection the first day…

And here’s the selection from the second day…


Airelles Chateau de Versailles Royal Feast
The signature dining experience at Airelles Chateau de Versailles it the Royal Feast, which has two nightly seatings, at 7:45PM and 8:30PM. This is somewhere between a Michelin starred dining experience, and one of those Medieval Times dinner shows I’d go to as a field trip in middle school, in the best way possible.
Each person essentially “role plays” a certain character, with the history explained, and then you’re addressed as such. I was Duc de Bauffremont…

The menu is even dated as if you’re dining on the same day of the year in 1784. The idea behind the menu is to reinvent royal recipes with a modern twist, and I think they did a heck of a job with that.

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves, but it was quite the feast. The ambiance was amazing as well, with the room dimly light (primarily using candles), and quite the “performance” from the restaurant staff.








Airelles Chateau de Versailles service
Airelles puts a huge emphasis on service, and this property is no exception. I can’t say enough good things about the staff here, on so many different levels.
For one, given how small the hotel is, service is incredibly personalized. That’s true of everything from the front office staff, to the butler service, to the restaurant staff. They really get to know you, and try to do everything they can to make the stay special. What made this stay extra special is that only a total of four rooms were occupied, so we really had the place to ourselves.
Beyond that, the attention to detail was just breathtakingly good. For example, when they deliver luggage to your room, it already has a monogrammed Airelles luggage tag on it.

Similarly, on our last morning we went to the gym early, which required having one of the staff unlock the gym. When we returned to our room, there was a tray with some little power bars, detox juice, and towels. I tend to think that our impressions of hospitality happen at the margins, and this is the perfect example of that.

Everyone at the property was just immensely professional, but as mentioned above, a special shout out to Quentin and Pauline, who did the most to make our stay special.
The other aspect of service that’s worth mentioning is that staff aren’t just there to provide the service you’d expect at a top luxury hotel, but they’re also doing some historic role playing, from the way they dress, to the way they address guests.
I referenced this above, but what other hotel offers a wake up service where they scratch at your door, walk in with a lantern and music, address you as “king,” and seerve you a drink in bed?
Privileged access to Palace of Versailles
Arguably the single biggest selling point of staying at Airelles Chateau de Versailles is the special access that it gets you to the Palace of Versailles. This comes in a couple of different forms. For one, in both the mornings and evenings, you go on special tour, before facilities are open to the public (the hotel drives you to the specific places the tours take place).

Typically if you visit the Palace of Versailles, you’re going to feel a bit like you’re at an amusement park. If you want to arrange a private tour outside of normal hours, it can be done, but at a cost that’s more than what you’d pay for a stay at the hotel (at least that’s what Google searches suggest). But that’s the beauty of this property, as those special experiences are included.
The tour guides we had for all of our visits were incredibly knowledgable and passionate. With just four rooms being occupied, we were broken up into two groups, so each guide was with just two couples. That’s a pretty great ratio.
The first evening, we had a tour of the Palace of Versailles. Having the iconic Hall of Mirrors all to yourself? Completely unreal…

But of course there was a lot more to the Palace than that…




The next morning, we had a tour of the Grand Trianon.




Then the final morning, we had a tour of the Petit Trianon



Not only was it nice to talk to the guides, but I have to say, our fellow guests at the hotel were super interesting as well. It’s not your typical Paris Fashion Week and Saint-Tropez in summer crowd (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but instead, it was more of a history buff crowd, which was a refreshing change of pace for a luxury hotel.
In addition to special access to some buildings, you can also access the Gardens of Versailles before they open to the public.



The hotel even has a fleet of golf carts that guests can use. Personally I prefer walking, both to get steps, and because the golf carts are quite slow, due to speed restrictions. But still, how cool to just be able to grab a golf cart and get going.

Bottom line
Airelles Chateau de Versailles is an unbelievably good hotel, which does everything right, if you ask me. It has impeccable service, an unbeatable sense of place, delicious dining, and it gives you unparalleled access to one of the world’s most famous, historic buildings.
If you’re a history buff, you’ll of course appreciate this property. But even if you’re not necessarily that big into history, staying here will give you a new appreciation for the Palace of Versailles, and the era where it had such an important role.
Of course this hotel is flippin’ expensive. But I have to say, the hotel offers value for money, in terms of providing an unforgettable and personalized experience. I can’t recommend this place enough, and this stay really cemented in my mind what a well-rounded hotel brand Airelles is.
What’s your take on Airelles Chateau de Versailles?
Thank you for writing an extensive review on this hotel. It has been on my radar for several years now. I feel I just really need to check it off my to do list next time I’m in Paris. I had no idea this hotel brand is owned by the same owner as Laduree. No wonder color schemes of Airelles properties is similar to Laduree boutiques!
€55 million on renovation and they ended up with those bathroom counters and shower fixtures? Where did that money go?
One suggestions for future reviews: You frequently get upgraded to a higher room category. I would like to at least see some photos of the standard (booked) room, as that may very well be what I—or any other guest—end up with. It is difficult to make a price–value judgement when you see the price of...
€55 million on renovation and they ended up with those bathroom counters and shower fixtures? Where did that money go?
One suggestions for future reviews: You frequently get upgraded to a higher room category. I would like to at least see some photos of the standard (booked) room, as that may very well be what I—or any other guest—end up with. It is difficult to make a price–value judgement when you see the price of a standard room but see the experience of an upgraded one.
I came here to ask about the standard room - how does it compare? @Ben you said that the room you got was a very good size, especially as it was only one level up from the standard, which begged the question of what the standard room is like? Yes, when Virtuoso is an option I recognize that we can contact Ford for such a booking, but a lot of your upgrades are through status...
I came here to ask about the standard room - how does it compare? @Ben you said that the room you got was a very good size, especially as it was only one level up from the standard, which begged the question of what the standard room is like? Yes, when Virtuoso is an option I recognize that we can contact Ford for such a booking, but a lot of your upgrades are through status rather than a program such as Virtuoso and thus not something that many of your readers can access.
@ GlobalTraveller -- You can see pictures of the standard room here:
https://airelles.com/en/destination/chateau-de-versailles-hotel/suites/chambres-deluxe-orry
It's just under 400 square feet, so it's a bit smaller, but still a decent size. The upgrade we received here was the standard upgrade that anyone would receive through Virtuoso, availability permitting.
Thanks, Ben, for another fun, fantastically aspirational review. I really love your passion for travel and all the airline and hotel products you review for us (and likely to satisfy your own interest and curiosity, too!).
@ Chris N -- I appreciate it, thank you! :-)
Great review. Clearly a lovely stay. Love the pool, gorgeous. If it wasn’t for the included privileged access to Versailles, I’m not persuaded the gordy room or the dinner would have justified the price tag otherwise, but maybe the images of the meal didn’t quite do it justice. Fascinating glimpse into how the overly well heeled spend their money tho. Great read.
At least now when you say first or business class good is good, I can point to this and be like, how does it compare to real food. Lol
apart from the pitivier for dinner (an incredibly difficult dish to pull off) and indeniably, the solitary Versailles access, I do not see anything that can remotely justify 2'200 EUR per night. Also, for the sake of the hospitality industry ex-US, let's NOT, I repeat, let's ABSOLUTELY NOT, start to normalise "destination fees".
@ Matrix.SG -- I'll play along. :p I'm curious, how much do you think this hotel should cost, and what hotel do you think justifies a 2,200 EUR price tag?
I know several people from the industry and the real issue are the ownership of these hotels, which have way too many layers and thus have invested banking on luxury travel. This hotel would have easily cost half before the pandemic and the EU inflation has nothing to do with these increases. It is a fact that due to the increase of M2 money supply in the US of 40% alone in 2021, Europe is...
I know several people from the industry and the real issue are the ownership of these hotels, which have way too many layers and thus have invested banking on luxury travel. This hotel would have easily cost half before the pandemic and the EU inflation has nothing to do with these increases. It is a fact that due to the increase of M2 money supply in the US of 40% alone in 2021, Europe is invaded by Americans and many, many establishments in the hospitality industry, like this one are simply banking on these aspirational trips. I can guarantee you no sane French person, even the most refined and culturally attuned, would pay 2'200 EUR per single night for what this hotel charges.
ps. as for the resort fees, I am STRONGLY against them as much as I hate the whole "before taxes and fees" prices display of hotels in many countries. I want transparent pricing, period. Then if I choose to go to a Versailles alone with my partner, I am willing to even pay 5'000 EUR or more, but that is my choice and not something "baked" into the price that just justifies in future to keep a normal room price and just add "fees".
@ Matrix.SG -- I totally agree that luxury rates have gone through the roof since the start of the pandemic, and just about all luxury goods used to be a lot less expensive.
But ultimately there's not much value in comparing pre-pandemic rates to post-pandemic rates, since the old rates are long gone. The question now is how the value of this compares to other post-pandemic values.
Well some people will value the unique location, it's not for everyone.
By the way, it's a not a destination fee, it's a contribution to the maintenance of the Palace of Versailles paid to the Palace of Versailles not to the hotel, it's written clearly when you book in French, In other words, the fee for the guest to access the site after hours.
Admittedly my impression is based only on Ben’s reviews of Airelles properties, but to me this seems to be the brand that gets luxury right in the sense that it’s a luxurious experience to stay there. Most luxury brands seem just to label themselves so in order to justify charging a higher rate without delivering much of a luxury experience besides exclusivity (I am looking at you Bulgari).
Meh, besides access to the Palace, I wasn't all that impressed. Cool to experience I suppose.
Sorry Ben, I don’t need cosplay as part of my hotel experience.
I’m surprised you didn’t mention or compare the stay at all to the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, the other luxury property right on the grounds of Versailles. This is especially surprising since you’ve actually written a lot about the momentum of the Waldorf brand and how much Hilton is expanding its luxury hotel collection - not to mention this blog is supposed to be about hotels accessible by points rather than absurdly-priced hotels - and it’s...
I’m surprised you didn’t mention or compare the stay at all to the Waldorf Astoria Versailles, the other luxury property right on the grounds of Versailles. This is especially surprising since you’ve actually written a lot about the momentum of the Waldorf brand and how much Hilton is expanding its luxury hotel collection - not to mention this blog is supposed to be about hotels accessible by points rather than absurdly-priced hotels - and it’s the most premium hotel brand for Hilton in the greater Paris area.
In short, it’s really disappointing that you didn’t stay at Waldorf Versailles for at least one night to compare. It’s 100 times less useful to your readers for you to review such a tiny hotel with 2000 euro a night rates not accessible via points than the Waldorf. Yes it’s your blog and you can write whatever you want, but your readers have the right to give you feedback.
And since you welcome feedback, I’ll offer that I think yours is utterly ridiculous. If you want to give feedback and make a suggestion about other hotels might want to review, have the decency and respect to do it constructively rather than lashing out at Ben for daring to write an interesting review of an interesting hotel.
How anyone can muster the energy to have such anger and vitriol about a hotel review is beyond...
And since you welcome feedback, I’ll offer that I think yours is utterly ridiculous. If you want to give feedback and make a suggestion about other hotels might want to review, have the decency and respect to do it constructively rather than lashing out at Ben for daring to write an interesting review of an interesting hotel.
How anyone can muster the energy to have such anger and vitriol about a hotel review is beyond me. Perhaps you need to take a breath. Or find other blogs to read.
I waited for this review a long time. And it doesn’t disappoint. This hotel is now definitely on my list, need to start saving.
And since you welcome feedback, I’ll offer that I think yours is utterly ridiculous. If you want to give feedback and make a suggestion about other hotels might want to review, have the decency and respect to do it constructively rather than lashing out at Ben for daring to write an interesting review of an interesting hotel.
How anyone can muster the energy to have such anger and vitriol about a hotel review is...
And since you welcome feedback, I’ll offer that I think yours is utterly ridiculous. If you want to give feedback and make a suggestion about other hotels might want to review, have the decency and respect to do it constructively rather than lashing out at Ben for daring to write an interesting review of an interesting hotel.
How anyone can muster the energy to have such anger and vitriol about a hotel review is beyond me. Perhaps you need to take a breath. Or find other blogs to read.
are you sure you are replying to the correct person?
I did. Huge apologies to Michael.FFM. Now posted in the right place, but unfortunately I can’t seem to remove this one.
Just a quick correction, you note the King in the history of the hotel as Louis VIX and I think you meant Louis XIV :)
Also, I wonder if Alain Ducasse has a brand standard font because the restaurant menu here uses the same font as the Air France La Premiere Lounge CDG. That capital A that looks like a backwards D. Or is that a French thing?
Overall, looks like an incredible experience. If...
Just a quick correction, you note the King in the history of the hotel as Louis VIX and I think you meant Louis XIV :)
Also, I wonder if Alain Ducasse has a brand standard font because the restaurant menu here uses the same font as the Air France La Premiere Lounge CDG. That capital A that looks like a backwards D. Or is that a French thing?
Overall, looks like an incredible experience. If you had to pick one to splurge on: Aman (not any of the new city locations, talking old school out of the way destination) or Airelle? Seems to be similar price points.
It's a hefty price point but compared to some U.S. properties that charge about the same, this certainly seems to be at a different level of service. I especially like that a number of things are included - it really irks me when expensive hotels feel they can nickel and dime you for every little thing. Also, the food looks exquisite. The French are just so good at elevated experiences.
The French are just so good at elevated experiences.
…so true.
In the South of France last week and had the pleasure of experiencing those elevated experiences. Such a treat!
This is a great review, wondering if I should send my parents there for a couple of nights for their 70th birthday.
Were all the other guests American?
@ Clem -- During our stay, yes, all the other guests were American. However, while I think Americans make up a large percentage of the guests, I don't think it's usually that extreme. Instead, I think it just reflects that only three other rooms were occupied.
@Ben thanks! That would work for me anyway since my parents are French and it means they'd probably have a private guide for the visits, in the absence of other French speaking folks :).
Is this on IHG PointBreaks for 15,000?
Beautiful decor, but I hate attic rooms with those claustrophobic slanted ceilings. The top floor was always the servants quarters back then.
Between the sharply pitched ceilings and the impossibly busy balloon motif that seems to adorn every single surface in the room, I don't think I'd be able to cope. I frequently bemoan the lifeless "international beige" styling of new luxury hotels, but sometimes "traditional elegance" is just too OTT to be endured.
@ Beachfan -- I hear you about the slanted ceilings, and usually I'd agree. However, the ceilings in the room were otherwise *really* high, so I didn't get the same feeling I'd usually get with such a setup.
Wow, looks amazing! That shot of the empty palace...
Was there an extra charge for the "French revolution experience" so you could really feel like a royal? Guillotine and all?
I like that you went all in with this comment, including your username.
The first time we visited the palace was a cold, rainy day in early March, and there was a tiny number of other tourists. It was fantastic!
Fascinating Wikipedia entry about you!