8 Best places to stay in Loire Valley

The Loire Valley was for centuries famously home to ‘troglodytes’, local residents who lived in caves dug into the soft bedrock. Today, you’ll still find troglodyte homes, restaurants, zoos – and hotels.

This cosy four-star is one of the best, with calming, luxurious ‘troglodyte’ rooms carved into the neighbouring cliff. There’s a fine seafood-theme gastronomic restaurant and lovely views over the Loire River.

It’s close to Tours, making it an excellent central base to explore the Loire Valley’s main attraction.s

Sitting in gardens at the end of a long avenue, south of Chinon, Marcay provides a perfect combination of countryside calm and authentic chateau splendour, with crenellated towers and ancient stone walls straight out of a fairytale.

The 33 rooms are split between the 15th-century chateau itself and an attractive converted pavilion.

The hotel is a true gourmet stop, with a great restaurant, kitchen garden and truffle plantation, alongside its own vineyard. They organise tours of their wine cellars and wine tastings every evening, and can also help organise visits to other nearby vineyards.

One of the coolest hotels in the Loire Valley, the Marine de la Loire provides a chic boutique alternative to château grandeur.

The 11 romantic rooms, conceived by the interior decorator owner are inspired by Loire Valley themes – while the pool area oozes rustic chic, with heavy stone urns and a pool framed by ancient stone walls.

There’s no restaurant, but room service is available all day; for a truly romantic stay,  book the ‘Cabane’, a private cabin suite set in the woods.

This elegant period house in creamy tufa stone combines the peace of its spacious walled garden (the clos), but also the benefits of authentic small-town life in the animated, historic riverside town of Amboise.

The 17 tastefully decorated rooms are all different, with eclectic antiques and funky mirrors, there’s a swimming pool carefully hidden at the end of the garden, while friendly, helpful staff make staying here a real pleasure.

It’s the ideal base for exploring the Loire Valley by bike or by car. The chateau is an easy stroll from the hotel; pop into the Bigot patisserie en route for wonderful cakes and chocolate.

Set in an 1860s hunting lodge and its beautifully restored outhouses, this refined, ivy-clad hotel is surrounded by vineyards between Blois and Amboise, making it a fabulous base for chateau-hopping and wine-tasting.

It’s also romance on a stick. Not only will couples love the dreamy garden views (best seen with a glass of wine at sunset) and the outdoor pool, but also the Clarins spa (with its hammam, sauna and outdoor terrace).

The restaurant wows with 2-star Michelin cuisine focusing on Loire Valley produce, and cooking classes are available if you want to learn the kitchen’s secrets.

In a quaint troglodyte hamlet on a hillside overlooking the Loire River, this rustic-chic hotel is an easy drive from both Saumur town centre and Fontevraud Abbey, making it a wonderful base for Loire Valley sightseeing.

The hotel covers the whole hamlet, so rooms – all accessed via narrow winding streets and many cut directly into the Loire’s emblematic white Tuffeau rock – are set either in a 17th-century mansion or in medieval buildings, which lends a unique feel to your stay.

The quirkiest spot is the heated pool and exercise area, set entirely in a cave and the perfect place to wind down after a day outside. Couple that with the excellent prices and you’ve got yourself a brilliant stay for couples and families alike.

A fanciful 19th-century chateau with a sense of fun, the Tortiniere brings a refreshing contemporary spirit to chateau-hotel style, mixing stylish fabrics and clean lines with antiques and grand fireplaces.

Set amidst beautiful woodland, Tortiniere has been run by the same family for three generations and feels relaxed and welcoming, whether you’re here for a quiet, romantic weekend or a family holiday.

Special treats include the excellent restaurant serving local specialities like pigeon, poires tapees and goat cheese. In summer, you can dine on the lovely outdoor terrace overlooking the valley. You can also take the hotel’s rowing boat for a potter along the River Indre.

A 15th-century tower, 17th-century manor, and cellars carved into the bedrock, make up the stunning Chateau de Beauvois, niched in woodland north of the Loire.

It has 36 gorgeously rustic rooms with furnishings varying from pseudo-medieval to Louis XV, and an inventive restaurant, with a grand dining room for winter stays, and a lovely terraced garden in summer.

As a special treat, the hotel can organise special dinners for 6 to 12 people in its troglodyte wine cellars, and also puts on wine tastings.

Then there are 140 hectares of beautiful, wooded grounds to explore, on foot or by bike.