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 Burgundy Gourmet Hotels
In the plump heart of France, Burgundy's varied countryside is threaded with rivers, patched with woods and vineyards and peppered with castles and abbeys. Rich is the word. If you are in for being thoroughly spoilt, there's a glut of gastronomic temples from which to choose, yet despite the region's sleek prosperity, it is also surprisingly timeless and rural, even wild in places, a fact reflected in the many humble restaurants that are just as excellent in their way as the great ones. Their menus are rooted to the terroir, with the same refrain endlessly repeated: snails, jambon persille, Charolais beef, poulet de Bresse, freshwater trout, Epoisses, pain d'epices, mustard, clafoutis, cassis. Some may tire of it after a while; unfortunately we don't. On the subject of lodging, it's a question of avoiding insipid tourist hotels and knowing the individual, homely and characterful places that match the restaurants and the famous wines in character and local colour. Our selection of Burgundy hotels with restaurants are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Leonie Glass |
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| Luxury: Romantic old building transformed into a luxury hotel |
| Location: Villefranche; in Beaujolais, 30 km N of Lyon |
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| Restored by Lady Hamlyn, now a Von Essen hotel, this deluxe venue is also an important historic monument, and makes an impressive venue for weddings or private parties as well as a romantic setting for couples. Dine in the glittering Salle des Gardes or under 100-year-old lime trees on the terrace, with Beaujolais spread out below. Sleep in gorgeous period-furnished bedrooms with Renaissance wall paintings. Spoiling and dramatically different. |
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| Luxury: Impressive 13th century moated château |
| Location: Avallon; 4 km west of town, 10 km from Vézelay |
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| Press a button, and iron gates open to reveal the front door beyond a sweep of lawn flecked with strutting peacocks. A stunning atmosphere is on offer at this wonderful 13th-century moated château where rich and delicious dinners are served, house party style, at a large table in the old kitchen or at separate tables, in fine weather, on the lawn. Some rooms are grand, others homely and comfortable. |
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| Luxury: Restaurant with innovative cuisine and traditional rooms |
| Location: Saulieu; in town centre |
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| The late Bernard Loiseau's great restaurant remains in the capable hands of Dominic Loiseau and continues to serve up beautifully light, inventive dishes based on Burgundian cuisine. The beamed, chapel-like dining room, surrounded by a delightful garden, makes a fine setting and the traditionally furnished rooms (best face the garden courtyard) make for an extremely comfortable night's sleep. Spa and pool. Excellent service. |
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| Luxury: Superb food at this iconic restaurant with attractive rooms |
| Location: Chagny; in town centre, 16 km SW of Beaune |
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| Jacques Lameloise and his wife maintain with ease the reputation of this calm, shuttered house, established by his father Jean as one of the best restaurants in France. The bedrooms are attractive and very comfortable, but it is the warm and traditional dining room that's at the heart of the house, with superb, yet not exhorbitant food and top-notch service from a maison Bourguignone that never forgets its traditional roots. |
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| Mid Price: Fortified château with pristine gardens and a friendly feel |
| Location: Igé; in village 15 km NW of Mâcon |
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| Don’t be misled by the massive, impeccably maintained fortified château and manicured garden: they have hauteur, but the welcome is warm, even cosy. Spiral staircases winding up into the turrets, stone-flagged floors, a huge open hearth in the massively beamed dining room (where dinner is a revelation), vast old beds and antique furnishings all contribute to a sense of time standing still. |
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| Inexpensive: Traditional provincial hotel in the middle of town |
| Location: Arnay-le-Duc; at centre of town |
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| In the centre of Arnay, a splendid example of French provincial hotel. Leading off dark corridors, the characterful bedrooms come as a very pleasant surprise, but it’s the dining room, fashioned, conservatory-style, from a covered courtyard, with kitchen open to view, that is the heart of the hotel, and the kingdom of the chef/patron, Armand Poinsot. French tradition at its reliable best. |
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| Inexpensive: Sophisticated local cuisine at this established hotel/restaurant |
| Location: Mercurey; town centre, 9 km south of Chagny |
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| For many years this quintessential, low-key French hotel/restaurant was run by chef/patron Jean-Claude Cogny; now it's his long-serving sommelier, Dominic Jayet, who presides. A thorough refurbishment has resulted in pristine bedrooms, thoughtfully decorated in contrasting colours, while the two dining rooms, one rustic, the other more intimate and elegant, remain the focus for sophisticated local cuisine. |
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| Inexpensive: Delightful family-run hotel in several old buildings |
| Location: Nitry; 36 km SE of Avallon |
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| You may think that waitresses in traditional dress and bedrooms themed on local crafts – from the simple Lavandière (washerwoman) to the grander Vigneron (wine grower) is not for you, but we found La Beursaudière delightful rather than contrived: a thoughtful, charming, family-run concern in lovely Burgundian buildings. The popular, atmospheric all-day restaurant serves excellent food. Charming website. |
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