Executive room at Les Hauts de Sancerre
The Loire Valley is a vast and diverse wine region. While it is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Melon de Bourgogne, the range of wine styles produced here is remarkably broad. With so much to explore, a little guidance can go a long way in shaping an itinerary that reflects the experience you’re looking for.
For many travellers, the true essence of a holiday lies in the opportunity to disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with the people and places around them. A significant part of that experience comes down to where you stay. With that in mind, here are some exceptional properties that I wholeheartedly recommend – places where you can sip, stay, and savour the very best of the Loire Valley.
Les Hauts de Sancerre
This five-star property only opened its doors in July last year, and it is already quite a treat. While it is not yet fully complete (only nine of the planned 27 rooms are currently available to book) renovations will continue over the next couple of years across its four stately buildings, transforming the former 19th-century Château de Sancerre into a spectacular hotel set within 4.5 acres of grounds.
The property is a hidden gem in the far-right of the Loire Valley, just a three-hour drive from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. Located in Sancerre, it neighbours the renowned Pouilly-Fumé vineyards and offers an abundance of local goat’s cheese producers, selling everything from fresh and aged to ash-coated varieties. Positioned on elevated ground, the hotel enjoys sweeping views over the rolling countryside and the charming medieval town below, which is within walking distance. This creates a rare sense of seclusion while remaining highly accessible.
Inside, the design is light and refined, with neutral tones, minimalist styling, and contemporary furnishings that maximise natural light while complementing the historic character of the building. On-site facilities include a gastronomic restaurant, L’Atelier des Cèdres, which focuses on seasonal, locally sourced ingredients prepared with a modern culinary approach and headed up by a father-son duo. The intimate restaurant is open for dinner Wednesday to Sunday, as well as for lunch on weekends.
Breakfast follows the same philosophy, featuring carefully selected pastries, breads, cheeses, and preserves from producers across the Loire Valley. A wine library, housed in the château’s original 12th-century cellar, adds another dimension, celebrating the region’s world-renowned viticulture.
A stay here can see you enjoying private wine tours in Sancerre and neighbouring Pouilly-Fumé, with a stop at a local cheese farm to sample the region’s renowned Crottin de Chavignol goat’s cheese.
Les Sources de Cheverny
Moving westward through the Loire Valley along the river, we arrive at another exceptional five-star property: the sister hotel to Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux. The estate is composed of a variety of buildings set within the tranquil Sologone forest, including a traditional French château, elegant cabins, and characterful stone houses. Together, they provide 49 rooms and suites, each designed in a bohemian style that reflects the surrounding natural landscape and its rich local flora and fauna. Just a short distance away lie some of the Loire’s most celebrated landmarks, including the Château de Chambord and Château de Chenonceau.
A comprehensive range of facilities are available on site, including two restaurants, a bar, and a highly acclaimed spa.
Le Favori, the Michelin-starred restaurant, is designed to immerse guests in nature, with large picture windows framing the surrounding forest. The cuisine focuses on purity and precision, with each dish built around a small number of essential ingredients that are allowed to fully express themselves. Vegetables often take centre stage, complemented by carefully selected fish and meats.
L’Auberge offers a more rustic dining experience, styled as an authentic country inn complete with a rotisserie grill, open fireplace, and an open kitchen finished with white tiles. Here, traditional culinary heritage is reinterpreted with a contemporary touch, reconnecting guests with the comforting flavours of home-style cooking. On Saturdays, the restaurant also hosts afternoon tea.
Romorantin grapes grow across seven hectares of land, enabling Les Sources de Cheverny to produce its own Cour-Cheverny wine, La Grand’Vigne. The Auberge bar is set within the estate’s former cellar, reimagined with a vibrant design that beautifully represents the vineyards growing just beyond.
The Caudalie Vinothérapie spa is open seven days a week and features a relaxation pool, hammam, outdoor hot tub, sunbathing facilities, and an unlimited selection of herbal teas and fresh water. A wide range of personalised facial and body treatments are also available to make your stay extra special.
With a stay here, you can expect plenty of time to enjoy the spa and dining facilities at the hotel at your own pace, as well as a private driver guide for tours and tastings in the surrounding region.
Hotel & Spa Oceania L’Univers Tours
In the heart of the Loire Valley, we find the highly rated four-star Oceania L’Univers. Ideally located in central Tours, this historic property offers 91 rooms, including seven suites, allowing guests to fully enjoy its distinctive charm and comfort. Originally opened in 1846, the hotel blends tradition and modernity, with interiors defined by elegant shades of white, beige, and taupe, contrasted by bold accents of fuchsia pink and cherry red.
The hotel’s restaurant, La Touraine, provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere, serving traditional French cuisine inspired by regional specialities. Breakfast is offered as a generous buffet featuring high-quality local produce, including breads, pastries, fresh fruit, juices, Paysan Breton butter, and traditional jams.
La Touraine Bar is an inviting space to enjoy a relaxed drink in a convivial setting. Styled with a subtle British influence, it features vintage leather club armchairs and velvet bar stools. The bar is open Tuesday to Saturday and until midnight.
The spa and wellness area includes a heated indoor pool and is open daily, offering guests the opportunity to unwind and recharge. A range of treatments and massages inspired by the five oceans is also available, alongside a small gym.
Hôtel Anne d’Anjou
This elegant 18th-century hotel, located in Saumur, enjoys a stunning setting overlooking the River Loire. Fully renovated in early 2020, the four-star Hôtel Anne d’Anjou offers 41 air-conditioned rooms combining comfort, quality, and thoughtful amenities. Many rooms feature views of the impressive Château de Saumur and history enthusiasts can choose from six uniquely preserved rooms showcasing original period décor in Louis XVI, Restoration, or Empire styles.
Breakfast is served in a refined lounge featuring an imposing period fireplace and includes a generous buffet of sweet and savoury options, homemade cakes, and locally sourced organic produce. On sunny days, guests can enjoy the peaceful inner courtyard and its tree-lined setting – an ideal way to start the morning.
While the hotel has its own bar, it does not offer in-house dining. However, its partner restaurant, L’Essentiel, is located just across the courtyard and serves bistronomic lunches and dinners from Tuesday to Saturday.
Wellness facilities include a small swimming pool with castle views, a sauna, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a range of spa treatments, offering a relaxing complement to the hotel’s historic charm.
During your stay at Hôtel Anne d’Anjou, discover the beautiful town of Saumur, right on your doorstep. Home to many of the Loire’s best sparkling wines, this is a great trip worthy of a special occasion.
Château de Noirieux
Approximately 300 km west along the River Loire from Les Hauts de Sancerre lies the four-star Château de Noirieux, offering an elegant and refined escape. Just a 30-minute drive north of Angers and set within a nine-acre park, this historic château (perhaps one of the oldest of the five properties mentioned) dates back to the 13th century and combines heritage with tranquillity. The estate features 19 rooms and suites, each imbued with a sense of history and calm. Guests can choose between staying in the 17th-century château or the adjoining 15th-century manor.
Begin your day in style with a generous breakfast served on the château’s picturesque veranda. The spread includes freshly baked viennoiseries and brioches, artisan breads, homemade jams, seasonal fruits, yoghurts, and a selection of cereals and granolas. Guests can also enjoy fine charcuterie, regional cheeses, and eggs prepared to order, accompanied by freshly ground coffee, a curated selection of teas, and freshly squeezed juices.
Dining is elevated further at Restaurant L’Attilio Briollay, where guests are invited on a refined gastronomic journey inspired by seasonal produce, including ingredients from the estate’s own vegetable garden.
A heated outdoor swimming pool as well as a jacuzzi are available from mid-May until mid-September. Guests will also find a tennis court on site.
A stay here can see you discovering the Savennières appellation with a private guide, visiting some of the best wine producers in the area for wine tastings (accompanied by cheese of course), and Michelin-starred dining to round off the experience.
“We recently used Grape Escapes to plan a custom 9-day wine tour in May this year through the Loire Valley in France to celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary, and they were simply exceptional. From the very beginning, the planning process was entirely stress-free. We gave them a high-level idea of what we were looking for, and they took care of absolutely everything, crafting a flawless, highly detailed itinerary. Every single detail—from the stunning historic chateaux accommodations to the curated boutique winery visits—was perfectly organized. Having someone else manage the logistics allowed us to truly relax and enjoy a seamless, unforgettable celebration. If you are looking for a tailored, premium wine travel experience, I cannot recommend the team at Grape Escapes highly enough!”
– John, Google Review
Ready to Book? Visit the Loire Valley with Grape Escapes
While these are a few of my personal favourites, we work with a whole range of hotels across the Loire Valley. We can make suggestions for a hotel that best suits your wine preferences and which parts of the Loire Valley you want to see, or you can stay in multiple hotels for the ultimate Loire Valley experience. To book your bespoke Loire Valley experience, with a focus on food and wine, send me an email, give us a call on +44 (0) 1920 56 02 78 or fill out our contact form.
