Les Hauts de Loire Hotel & Spa Review

Every so often, I wide up somewhere truly special. Often times, it’s so special that I’m counting the days until I can get back. Les Hauts de Loire is that kind of special. It pains me that I’ve taken so long to write this post (or any post) from our travels in the last year or two. But, to be fair to myself, I haven’t written anything significant in awhile.

Les Hauts de Loire is a Relais and Chateaux resort in the Loire Valley of France. Like many of the chateaus in the area, Les Hauts de Loire is a former hunting lodge. It maintains its rustic charm while providing an extremely relaxing hotel and spa experience. From the moment we arrived, I knew I wanted to go back in every single season. (It’s particularly high on my list for fall.) We’ve been back 3 times in less than a year, and as I try to pinpoint what makes it special, I just come back to how it peaceful it is. We sleep with the windows open, awaken to birds chirping, and the most pressing thing is where to have dinner. It’s that kind of easy.

And sometimes, that kind of easy is exactly what my brain needs.

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Getting to Les Hauts de Loire

The Loire Valley is somewhere you will want a car. It’s also important to note that the Centre-Val de Loire is huge. While you can do day trips to visit wineries and chateaus in the region, you’ll want to do a bit of research before you go. For me, the point of staying on an estate property is to enjoy the estate, not being driving everywhere all the time. (We learned that at Chateau d’Audrieu in Normandy a couple summers ago!)

The resort is about a 20 minute drive from Amboise and about 25 minutes from Blois. It’s 45 minutes from Chambord, so it makes a great home base. (Highly recommend booking a tour of Chambord. Sarah was a fantastic guide.) There is a small town with a Lidl, a boulangerie, and a charcuterie shop within 10 minutes of the resort, so you’re not completely removed from everything. However, if you’re someone who likes to be out exploring constantly, you might enjoy saying in Amboise or Blois a little more.

On our first two trips, we drove to Les Hauts de Loire from other destinations. Overall, we found the drive from Paris to be very easy with large and well-paved high ways. (We also made the drive to the Loire from Saint Malo last summer. It was easy, too.)

On our third trip, we took a fast train from Bordeaux to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps (Tours). This was very easy and definitely quicker than the drive would have been. From there, we picked up a rental car at the train station for a few days. We returned it and took the fast train back to Paris. I don’t know that we saved that much money, but we did save some time (and the headache of returning a car in Paris).

Note: Always buy your train tickets in advance. You’ll save money that way. I generally buy flexible tickets so I have the optionality to change if I decide I want to get there earlier or if we’re running late.

Les Hauts de Loire Hotel

The hotel is composed of two main buildings: the castle (part of the original chateau) and the carriage house (a short walk from the chateau). We’ve stayed in the castle once and the carriage house twice. I can’t say that either location is definitively better – they are just different. As with most small hotels in France, you need to book the room you want. Don’t rely on hoping for upgrades. Room designs are eclectic. It feels more like staying at a country house than in a true chateau.

Our castle room was smaller and felt a little more romantic. It definitely had the feeling of staying in someone’s weekend country lodge. We had a beautiful view of the front of the property from our room. While we were right above reception, we generally didn’t hear a lot of noise.

The two carriage house rooms we stayed in were larger and had a more cohesive design aesthetic. I loved the design elements of this room. Bold prints and wallpapers. One of our rooms had a small balcony, and I enjoyed a couple of sunsets from that room on our first stay. It did overlook the outdoor patio of the bistro, but again, the noise didn’t bother us.

Two things that are consistent in every single room: 1) this might be the best bed I’ve slept in throughout our trips to France. 2) The showers, defined as water pressure and availability of hot water, are fantastic.

Best Time to Visit Les Hauts de Loire

Anytime. No, but really. We’ve stayed here in summer, spring, and winter so far, and we’ve had lovely trips all the way around. (Honestly, after seeing Stacie Flinner’s post on fall in the Loire Valley, I need to make that happen.) While Amboise is touristy, we found very local crowds in the evenings. And, even during the slower periods, we didn’t notice things more closed than they were in the summer.

In December, the staff served our welcome drinks in bar, which felt like being in someone’s very festive living room. It actually made me really happy because it felt so cozy and comfortable. While the property isn’t quite as lush in the winter, it really is such a romantic hotel. It’s fantastically cozy for a romantic weekend. (Also, Amboise at Christmas at magical – there are trees everywhere! It’s so romantic.) In the spring and summer, they served our drinks outside. The staff is very kind and accommodating, regardless of the time of year. The property is so small that it’s easy to feel like you have the place to yourself.

The one thing I will say is that summers in the Loire Valley are getting hot. And, yes, this hotel has air conditioning. (It’s one of few that do, and you’ll pay for that privilege in the middle of summer.) That said, it can be really hot to be out in the middle of the day. So, if you don’t enjoy heat, don’t come during the summer. The days are long. There are summer festivals. And, there is a great atmosphere in the summer – but it is HOT.

Room 2 – Classic Room in the Castle

Our classic room was on the first floor of the castle. (That’s the second floor for Americans!) You’ll wind up a spiral staircase to get to these rooms. (There are no elevators that I’ve seen in the castle or the carriage house.) One of the things that I truly appreciated about this room is how well lit it was. There were so many light switches and so many ways to get the perfect light. On sunny days, we opened the windows and the room and bathroom was bathed in natural light. In the evening, I was able to put together the perfect ambient light for my mood.

Another thing I appreciate about Les Hauts de Loire (and French hotels in general) is that there a separate toilet from the bathroom. Our bathroom had a large walk-in shower, reclining soaker tub (what a luxury), and dual vanities. This made it very easy for both of us to get ready in the morning. The toilet area was enclosed in a small walk-in closet and dressing area. (It also housed the safe and the minibar). We had plenty of towels and fluffy robes for going between the hotel and the spa. Bath amenities are Clarins, which is a nice touch. (I loved that the room included bathsalts.)

The bedroom had a king size bed and dual nightstands. We did have an issue of not being able to access the plug on one side of the bed, but we survived. There are plenty of other plugs in the room. We had a relatively large desk that was perfect for dinner in the room for the two of us (and my zoom meetings). And, there was a large dresser with a large flatscreen TV. (I can’t even remember the last time we turned on a TV on vacation or at home.) Our room also had hardwood floors and a marble fireplace (for decoration, I’m sure).

Other in-room amenities included a Nespresso, a tea kettle, and Mini Bose stereo system.

Room 36 – Superior Room in the Carriage House

Our second room in the carriage house probably had my favorite design elements. The canopy bed, the use of green as accent color with the bold black and white prints. This room felt very cool in the French country house type of way. I loved how many windows our room had, even if it was relatively gloomy while we were there. The fall foliage popped against the gray skies.

This room had more antique furniture in it, so it definitely felt like you were staying someone’s home, rather than a luxury hotel. The armoire was beautiful and made it easy to unpack everything all in one place. The desk was a nice size, and we were able to both use it to work. We did struggle a little bit with getting the light right in this room during the winter. The shorter days made it more difficult to fully utilize the natural light.

The bathroom was a little smaller in this room, but it still had the basics: walk-in shower, soaking tub, and dual sinks. I did like the mirrors, which had a bit more character than standard issue bathroom mirrors. Amenities were Clarins and included everything from hand sanitizer to make up removal pads.

Room 39 – Superior Room in the Carriage House

This is the first room we stayed in at Domaine Hauts des Loire. We arrived during one of the worst heatwaves in France, and it felt so refreshing to be surrounded by the blue and green tones of this room. The high ceilings of the room made it feel less hot, and thank goodness for air conditioning. (We did also have to use our trusty fans though.) I remember collapsing on the bed for a midday nap, and it was like sleeping on a cloud. It was at that moment that I knew we would be back.

Similar to the classic castle room, there is a small separate toilet room. Our bathroom had a soaking tub, separate shower, and dual vanities. It lacks the natural light of the castle bathroom, so if that’s important to you, think about booking a castle room instead. There are Clarins amenities in the carriage house as well.

This room also had a king bed with dual nightstands and lamps. We had a small round table with two chairs, a reading nook, and an additional bench. This room was very, very spacious. We loved the skylight and small balcony.

This room is on the first floor on the carriage house, and there are no elevators (that we know of). The baggage handlers were truly champions helping navigate our large luggage (and wine) up the stairs in the heat. They have these adorable baggage carts, but it’s still an adventure to get it up there.

Dining at Les Hauts de Loire

There are two restaurants at Les Hauts de Loire: a bistro in the carriage house and a gastronomic restaurant in the castle with an incredibly romantic ambiance. (It’s also where breakfast is served in the morning.) You need a reservation for either. (Trust me: we’ve found ourselves without a reservation when staying at the hotel!) They alternate their closing days so that you’ll never truly be without a dining option, but they are two very different menus and experiences. One thing that did stand out is that the hotel staff is very proactive about reaching out about restaurant reservations. They do communicate about the closures and remind you to get reservations during busy seasons. They’ve always called multiple times before our arrival to ensure that we have our meals figured out.

The Bistro

We’ve personally chosen the bistro for all our meals on-property. We like the flexibility of being able to order a menu or a la carte. I personally love their take on escargot (with hazelnuts!) and Tom loves their pork. And, I can say without hesitation that they have some of the best desserts. I had a lovely strawberry fraiser last summer that remains one of my favorite summer dessert experiences. They have a great wine list that features a number of wines from the region, but also some very fairly priced wines from Burgundy and Bordeaux. (I also love their cointreau pear fizz cocktail as an apertif – it’s a fantastic fall and winter drink, but I’ll order it anytime.)

Breakfast

Wellness at Les Hauts de Loire

In a lot of ways, Les Hauts de Loire is like Borgo dei Conti in Umbria (still one of my favorite hotels!). There’s a spa available by reservation (sauna and haman) with treatments available, a seasonal outdoor pool, tennis courts, beautiful grounds to explore, and small fitness room. (I used the fitness room a few times to complete Peloton strength workouts in the winter. It has everything you need.)

Clarins Spa at Les Hauts de Loire

The sauna is available by reservation, but it’s not for exclusive use. (That was a bit of a surprise to us the first time!) Because the spa area is very small, it can be a little bit of a delicate shuffle between the steam room, the sauna and the shower. They have a tranquility area where you can rest and enjoy tea between treatments, but it felt a bit more formal than what I was used to.

I did book the equilibrium massage with essential oil, which is designed to calm the body, restore energy and soothe muscle tension. The treatments are pretty well priced compared to large cities in France. They also allow spa bookings online, so you can figure out what works best for your schedule in advance.

I did enjoy my massage, and the spa staff is very hospitable and kind.

Where to Eat & Drink near Les Hauts de Loire

Cave SD in Amboise

Outside of the hotel, we’ve spent the most time in Amboise. Our friend Erwan (from Secret Wine Door in Paris!) recommended a fantastic cavist, Sebastien at Cave SD. If you’ve been reading awhile here, you might recognize Sebastien as the one who told me at the end of 2025 that he wished for us to always be able to passer un bon moment (pass a good moment) in Amboise. And, at that moment, it was exactly what I needed to focus on at that moment. (It stuck with me so much that I even wrote about it on the blog.)

In addition to sourcing amazing wines from the Loire Valley (and the rest of France), Sebastien also offers small plates with regional specialities. We’ve whiled away many afternoons with him, enjoying outstanding wine and cheese. He’s constantly pushing us to expand our wine knowledge and he constantly pushes us with blind tastings. (I personally appreciate how he pushes Tom beyond the well-known producers.)

Occasionally Sebastien offers tasting experiences in the evening. We attended one on Italian wines and each wine was paired with a small plate. These tastings are done in French and are geared to locals. For us, it was a truly enjoyable experience because we know how well Sebastien pairs food and wine. Tom even attempted to explain the DOCG Chianti Classico region in French. This experience may not be for everyone, but it was absolutely lovely for us.

Les Arpents in Amboise

On our second trip to Amboise, Sebastien encouraged us to book a table at Les Arpents. Les Arpents offers a carte blanche menu, which isn’t something we had ever experienced. Essentially, they asked if we wanted 3 courses or 5 courses and if we had any allergies. We opted for 5 courses because it included a cheese course. THE CHEESE COURSE CHANGED MY LIFE. Seriously. They brought over the cheese tray, asked a few questions, and customized the cheeses to each of our likings. I think we went on a hunt for the cheeses for the rest of our trip through France. Most of their cheeses are sourced from small producers who come to the Amboise market, but we did find some acceptable options at La Passion du Fromage. (Their staff is extraordinarily kind and helpful as well.)

This is an experience worth having. Our 5 courses included a deconstructed onion soup, a fresh fish with artichoke cream, a perfectly cooked steak with shiitake mushrooms and pears that lingered long after I finished it (I still think about that steak at least once a month), the customized cheese course, and a deconstructed lemon tart. (Tom got a pistachio and parsley tart so we could try both desserts.) Next time, I think I will have them pair the wine by the glass. (Their wine list is very well priced.)

Domaine Huet in Vouvray

Tom did a lot of research on vouvray wines on our second trip to the Loire Valley. We were able to get a last minute tasting at Domaine Huet with Christop, and it was an absolutely lovely experience, especially since it was off-season. They had a fantastic display of the different soils of the various vineyards around Vouvray. Christop had us try wines of varying degrees of sweetness and from the different soils. This made it very easy to understand how terroir affects the wine. We were even able to try an older vintage to have a better understanding of how the chenin blanc wines age. (We ended up buying some of the older vintages, and all of our friends LOVE them.)

This has definitely been our best Loire Valley winery tasting experience to date. I do think that part of what makes it special is knowing that we wouldn’t be able to find or replicate the experience at home. It’s one of those things where you have to be there to have the experience (and then take the wines home as souvenirs)!

Much like Bordeaux and Burgundy, you should try to make reservations in advance to avoid disappointment. If you can’t get an appointment, the Cave de Vouvray offers same-day tastings, though you might have to come back later in the day depending on their tour group schedule.

If you’re looking for a Vouvray tasting of red and white wines, we had a lovely tasting at Marc Bredif on our first trip to Vouvray.