Want to take advantage of Virtuoso benefits at no extra cost, including a room upgrade, free breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact Ford ([email protected]) for more details. He doesn’t charge booking fees, and may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked.
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.
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. If you’d like any help with a Virtuoso booking here, you can reach out to Ford and his team at [email protected].
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?
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