Relais and Chateaux

Specialist Reports Holiday by Accommodation Hotels Luxury Relais and Chateaux 

	Relais and Chateaux
15 rue Galvani - 75017 Paris
tel: +33 1 45 72 90 00; tollfree 00 800 2000 00 02

A non-profit membership marketing organisation founded in 1954, which aims to guarantee high standards.

Where

469 hotels, the majority in France but also the rest of Europe, a handful in Africa and the Indian Ocean, Asia, the Americas.

Style

Luxury although in three categories from high standard ‘relais de campagne', to super de luxe. In our experience properties in the UK should be fine but those in France are very variable (we had a particularly bad experience at one, and have found others somewhat stuck in the ‘70s), so membership should not be taken as a sole criterion of quality. Members have an average of 30 rooms and the motto is ‘courtesy, charm, character, calm and cuisine', or in the words of a regional direction, ‘it's more about character and personal service than luxury'. However, cheaper members in particular can be stuffy. The majority are privately owned and in the country.

Child Facilities

Nowhere is particularly geared for children although the majority in fact accept them. The proportion is lower in the UK where the following do:
The Airds Hotel Port Apin Argyll, Scotland (01631) 730 236: a 12 bedroom country house overlooking a loch, good for walking. A suite with sofabed is available and babysitting or baby listening is offered. Under 8s are not allowed in the restaurant in the evening but are only charged for meals as taken.
Gidleigh Park Chagford, Devon (01647) 432 367: luxurious house with fine, spacious gardens and the option of walks up on to Dartmoor (packed lunches available). Baby listening is offered and baby sitting can be arranged. A high chair is available for breakfasts but under 6s are not allowed in the dining room for meals though suppers can be arranged. Accommodation in the garden cottage is recommended for those with children as it has two bedrooms and its own kitchen.
Hambleton Hall Oakham, Rutland (01572) 756 991: a Victorian manor house overlooking Rutland water with outdoor heated pool and tennis. They report families staying for 8 or 9 days. Children are allowed in the restaurant in the evening but not in high chairs and no running around. Child food is cooked to request. There is an inter-connecting set of rooms and a couple with an outer door, often let together. A pavilion in the grounds with own kitchen and dining room will be ready later this year. Cots, baby listening and baby sitting are all offered. Plenty of running around space.
Inverlochy Castle Torlundy, Fort William (01397) 702 177: a 19th century Scottish home in the top membership category. Two rooms offer a sofa bed or there are adjoining rooms. Cots, baby sitting or listening can be arranged. High tea is offered as no under 12s are allowed in the restaurant in the evening.
Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons Great Milton, Oxfordshire (01844) 278 881, recently extended - rooms in the original house have more charm.
Summer Lodge Evershot Dorset (01935) 834 24: a dower house with 17 bedrooms, heated outdoor pool, and croquet lawn, run with informal style. Settees or an extra bed or cot are available, plus high chairs and baby monitors and babysitting can be arranged. In theory no under 8s are allowed in the restaurant but in practise they are allowed. High teas are offered. Horse riding can be arranged.
Stock Hill Gillingham in Dorset (01747) 823 626 has no specific services but does offer a set of interconnecting rooms.
Other options include Cobblers Cove in Barbados and Hotel El Castell in Catalonia in northern Spain.

Sample Price

At Stock Hill £250 for dinner b&b for two inter-connecting rooms, children at a nominal fee. At Inverlochy Castle a large double is £350 b&b, children sharing £75.

Child Prices

Vary from hotel to hotel and need to be checked individually.