Château de Bagnols

Château de Bagnols Review

A destination in itself, Lady Hamlyn's dazzlingly elegant (and very pricey) castle-hotel is one of the glories of the Beaujolais, as anyone can tell with one glance at the interior. The fantastique Grand Salon matches the grandest of Paris's 17th-century showpieces, and the main château's guest rooms evoke the 18th century, with many covered in historic frescoes done by a Baroque school of artists inspired by the "Grand Fabrique" (Lyon's famed brocade makers); while lodgings in La Résidence—the converted stables and carriage houses—are rustic-contemporary with amazing wood-beam trim and calico drapes. More spectacle awaits in the massive Salle des Gardes, which now holds the esteemed gourmet restaurant, agleam with silver candelabra, giant bouquets, and a wall-wide fireplace. Head to the beautiful stone cuvage (wine-pressing room) for the occasional wine tasting. Breakfast is extra.