Château de Montigny-sur-Aube

I have been privileged to stay in some of the world’s best small boutique hotels and this Chateau should be on this list! With only two guest rooms, a visit feels more like being welcomed into the host's private home, than a hotel stay. The location is stunning, the rooms are luxurious and the food was all sourced from the Chateau's own gardens and served in the family's private dining room. Virginie was a magnificent and attentive host, and her mother, Mme Marie-France Ménage-Small delighted us by joining us after dinner to explain the post-war renovations and how she discovered that future US President Harry Truman had been billeted at the castle during WW1 - a connection which is now commemorated in a memorial garden. Breakfast was served in the Orangery and the hosts kindly provided an audio tour of the Chateau, and surrounding gardens and Orchard. What was planned as a brief stopover on our way home to England became an unexpected highlight of our stay in France - We will be back to spend more time in Burgundy!

The only thing I would change would be the option of a savoury selection for the continental breakfast, alongside the fresh fruit and pastries. Guests should note that there is no menu, so no choice of meal options, although the host did inquire in advance whether we had any particular dietary requirements. That said, we were absolutely delighted with our fabulous 3-course dinner, sourced from the Chateau's own gardens, and every course was delicious. It was quite difficult to find the entrance (you need to buzz the intercom by a small door next to the Church, and then drive round to the gates) so slightly better directions would be helpful.

The best of hosts. Charming, sophisticated. The rooms were beautifully restored. It was a peaceful place of tranquility.

Nothing.

The castle looks beautiful and the family owning it is super welcoming. We had an amazing dinner and breakfast as well as an intimate tour around the Chateau. Would love to return next time when I’m in France.

If I could give this place 100 points — or even 1,000 — I would. The magic began before we even arrived. We were running late and had not realized that reception would already be closed by the time we got there — almost two hours after closing. They called us while we were still on the road and simply told us not to worry, that they would wait for us. Then they asked whether we had managed to have dinner. When we said no, they arranged for dinner to be held for us. And what a dinner it was. Honestly, it was one of the most extraordinary dining experiences of our lives. We found ourselves in what felt like an authentic medieval knights’ dining hall — I am not even sure how else to describe it. Everything was so beautiful, atmospheric and genuinely authentic that it took our breath away. There are only two guest rooms in the entire castle, which makes the experience incredibly intimate. And it is almost impossible to understand how the price of a night here can be so modest compared with the experience, emotions and memories you receive in return. My husband and I will remember this place for the rest of our lives. For us, it became an unexpected little honeymoon. I cannot remember the last time I slept so deeply and peacefully. There was something about this place that completely reset us — the silence, the beauty, the atmosphere, the feeling of being somewhere outside ordinary life. Photography is unfortunately not allowed in some of the most remarkable spaces, so it is difficult to convey just how beautiful and authentic everything is. Perhaps that makes the experience even more special: you simply have to be there. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, everything felt like a fairy tale. The castle itself, its extraordinary garden, breakfast in the orangery, and especially the service — everything was beyond praise. Thank you for treating us with such warmth, delicacy and genuine hospitality.