Review of Chateau de Bagnols, by Gemma Pitcher

Château de Bagnols is a grandiose and breathtakingly expensive luxury hotel set in a 13th-century castle among the forests, green hills – and most importantly, vineyards – of the Beaujolais  region in south-east France. It is the baby of a British couple, Paul and Helen Hamlyn, who have rescued the building from ruin and devoted four years of their lives to the place, restoring it and filling it with stunning architectural and decorative touches, a fantasy of velvets, marble and ancient wood panelling. A huge collection of glass, china and silver objets d’art were designed by Helen Hamlyn especially for the hotel and can now be bought by guests.

The cuisine, as one might expect, is rapturous as local seasonal ingredients are transformed into dishes of surpassing beauty. Meals are served in the Salon des Gardes, a magnificent room featuring one of the finest gothic fireplaces in Europe, or on the terrace in summer. The hotel will even provide sumptuous picnic baskets for those who wish to spend a day in the surrounding countryside, horse riding, wine tasting or even hot air ballooning.

Château de Bagnols has 21 rooms, including 12 suites and an apartment, each bearing the name of a famous person connected with the history of the Château. Every room is different and distinctive, with dramatic bare floors, wall paintings, and rich velvet and silk fabrics. Many rooms are located in fairy-tale style towers, with arrowslit windows.