What it is

A 92-room boutique hotel set on a cinematic 20,000-acre estate on Domaine de Chantilly that puts Versailles to shame

What it isn't

New and nouveau riche. Much of the property was built in the 1700s, including the stables by architect Jean Aubert where Louis XV himself dined with Frederick of Prussia.

What we think

If you have any fanciful Marie Antoinette-worthy gowns, try to see if you can pack them in your carry-on now. You’ll want all the royal wardrobe pieces you can get when you stay here. The “pinch me” grounds look as if they were devised for a Hollywood movie set, but they’re exquisitely real…and that includes the Relais & Châteaux-member hotel itself, where the concierge is Clefs d'Or-trained and a SPA Valmont awaits. Decorated in Louis XV-style furniture and toiles galore to suit 18th-century French manors, even the Classic rooms here are equipped with gratis mini bars, fast WiFi and room service at-the-ready. Book the Arc de Triomphe Suite to feel like you have your own private castle, complete with carrara marble-lined bathrooms, four post beds, and equestrian-themed design details that leave you feeling like a Lord on the hunt.

You're here because

Not even Napoleon had access to a heated indoor pool, sauna and steam room as lovely as what you’ll find in the spa here.

The Moment

Taking at least one meal at the Michelin-starred La table du Connétable is practically required, you’ve been told. And one bite of your roasted flour ravioli with pepper and smoked cheese and you can see why. Even in France, this is hardly dinner as usual.

Restaurants & Bars

La Table du Connétable - This gourmet restaurant's elegance in the dishes rivals that of the restaurant's setting, whose windows open onto the gardens of the Domaine

Le Jardin d’Hiver - The chic French bistro serving French classics made with seasonal products

Bar - A luxuriously furnished and intimate bar that makes it a comfortable place to grab drinks

Location

A 50 minute drive from Paris but a mere 10 minute walk from the sumptuously decorated Château de Chantilly, where the art collection rivals the Louvre’s.