Hotel Château les Merles

My wife and I stayed at the Chateau Les Merles for (sadly) just one night in June. However, I have now booked to go back for 3 nights in September as we enjoyed our stay so much. ||I will admit I was wondering whether or not to give a review as we thought the hotel was so special that we wanted to keep it 'a secret'. But that seems unfair on the hotel and staff who were exceptional. ||The property, which is delightfully secluded, is charming and our double room on the first floor overlooking the swimming pool and the valley beyond was delightful. A simple blend of gloss back flooring and white walls, the room was simply and tastefully decorated with a superb large bed. The bathroom was spacious and had a large bath, shower and dual sinks. Again tastefully decorated.| |The staff were superb from the start; the greeting glass of champagne was delightful and very welcoming. ||We had lunch there (a superb 25 euros prix fixe) and then an a la carte dinner which was a delight eating under the umbrellas in the courtyard. And good value again. ||Chatting to the English couple on the next table we discovered they were planning on having their Wedding there next year they were so impressed; we could see why. The combination of the buildings, quality of food and of service and the easy vibe are enticing. It is a genuinely special place and deserving of being kept 'a secret'.||Which is why we are going back; not as part of a trip but as the trip. Flying in and out of Bordeaux for a long weekend in September when we hope the pools will still be warm!

An amazing hotel in the French countryside! Stunning! The staff were exceptional. ||Despite arriving early to drop our bags off rather than leave them in the car, the staff were friendly and hospitable. We were informed that we could check in earlier so we came back an hour later to find that our luggage had been taken to our room and we were encouraged to have a complimentary glass of champagne and canapes in the grounds. ||There is no notion of feeling rushed here which is perfect. ||The grounds are well kept with tennis courts (racquets and balls available) if required, a driving range and a nine hole golf course. ||The suite we had was fantastic with views over the grounds and swimming pool. We dined at the restaurant in the evening and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. In addition, there are tasting menus. The Chateau Les Merles white wine was great and slightly regretting not buying a couple of bottles to take home. ||Definitely on our list to return to for a short break as one night wasn't enough!||Thank you to the team at Chateau Les Merles for making the last night of our holiday perfect.

Absolutely charming! To start with, the hotel is less than 30 minutes from Bergerac airport, which is hugely convenient if you have had a tiring journey. We stayed in villa nº 8, which sleeps 8 people and has its own pool. The upstairs bedrooms are air conditioned, which was a Godsend, as our stay coincided with a heatwave of 36º. The lower bedrooms are not air conditioned but were cool enough to sleep in and were equipped with fans. The owners and staff of the hotel could not be more friendly, polite or helpful. The breakfasts were generous and tasty. If you are staying, it is definitely worth having an evening meal in the courtyard and choosing the 'signature' menu, which is delicious and extraordinarily good value! We would thoroughyl recommend this wonderful hotel.

Great place to stay. We had a villa which I recommend. The shared pool at the end of the garden is fantastic. Lovely restaurant and bar area, altho we only had the breakfast once. Very well equipped accommodation - great for self catering. Golf, tennis and pétanque all available. Lots to explore in the local area.

This is a top quality hotel - comfortable, welcoming and relaxed. Our room was excellent and the dinner from the signature menu was very good. We stayed during very hot weather but that didn’t spoil our enjoyment. The air conditioning and the pool were a big help !

Five of us had lunch here on Friday July 11th 2025. The setting is beautiful and service was very good. All starters were very good. The main course, faux filet, ordered by all five of us, was very poor. It was tough and had clearly been cooked in a pan where celery or celeriac had previously been cooked. The sauce on the steak was tasteless. Very disappointing. When we complained, we were told that “ the chef would see what other guests had to say about the faux filets” and we heard no more. Really not good enough.

This is my Happy Place! I love the Dordogne area and this Chateau! We have stayed here at least 3 times, maybe 4 over the past 5 years. The staff are very welcoming and are fluent in several languages. The rooms are clean and and luxurious in a minimalist way that I love. The breakfasts are very good as are dinners. You can also get an afternoon snack and a glass of wine and sit outside to enjoy the French air. There are many things to do from this location including going into the old part of Bergerac, Rent a canoe and go down the Dordogne in Sarlat la Caneda, go to historic Sarlat, visit Chateau Des Milandes, Cloisters of Caduoin, the Marqueyssac Gardens in Vezac. Plus the countryside is absolutely beautiful! Enjoy!

Lovely setting, good service and standards. The food was of a good standard but would have expected more refinement and attention to detail. Breakfast was similar. It feels like more investment is needed to lift the profile. Would return as it’s a beautiful location