Auberge du Jeu de Paume
"How did it strike you on arrival?Located just beyond the stone archway that leads Château de Chantilly and its estate, the hotel strikes as the region's answer to Paris's Le Bristol: there is a refined, sophisticated aesthetic and Louis XV style. Access to the property's various rooms, dining areas, sitting rooms, and bars is simple: they surround the central garden courtyard. What’s the crowd like?Travelers tend to be over 40 and often traveling to the region for the horse races or, in the spring, for the Journées des Plantes garden festival, the largest in Europe. The good stuff: Tell us about your room.Each of the 92 rooms are set up and designed in a similar fashion, with of the Château, park, or the hotel's courtyard. They have cream-colored walls offset by a statement headboard or wall, and/or curtains in navy or burgundy colored toile de Jouy (bed cushions are in a matching color). Rounding it out are Louis XV armchairs, a few paintings and equestrian touches, like wooden horse figurines or plush horse stuffed animals for children. The rooms are spacious, comfortable, immaculately pressed and cleaned, and blissfully quiet. Anything stand out about other services and features? Whether it’s childcare, gyms, spas, even parking—whatever stuck with you.Michelin-starred restaurant La Table du Connétable is excellent and worth booking for lunch or dinner. The Valmont Spa has two signature treatments created for the property (including one involving whipped cream body wraps), along with a pool, sauna, and hammam. Guests will also find a billiard room, bar, and valet parking. Since the hotel is part of the Domaine, they have the keys to the Château. For weddings, big celebrations, or private dinners for couples willing to pay the price, events and meals can be organized by the hotel inside the Château. What was most memorable about your stay?It is an oasis in an already blissfully relaxing locale. With such close proximity to the Château, the stables, and the gardens, it is the perfect component to a countryside escape. Bottom line: worth it, and why?As the most luxurious property in the area and in close proximity to the Domaine, you can't beat the location, calm, services, and dining experience." - Lindsey Tramuta
