Château de Jalnay

We stayed 6 nights in July 2019. Let me preface this review by saying that the Chateau is not a hotel. That’s important to understand, there is no reception and no concierge. You’re basically living in someone’s home. In other words, you really must want this, otherwise you’re expectations will not be met. Our primary goal was to stay in a romantic castle as guests and enjoy the nearby attractions that the Loire valley has to offer. I think in both these points we have succeeded in our efforts beyond what we had hoped for. The room We were in the tower family room, it has its own entrance and its own balcony which was very convenient for us. It also had everything you would expect from a hotel suite, including air conditioners and TV. We had no fridge but we also didn’t miss it. The bathrooms are nice and newly renovated. The windows could be bigger (you don’t see much) to compensate for that you get your very own balcony which has a great view. There is (obviously) no elevator - so if stairs are an issue, this room might not be for you, however they have several others. The castle There are many things to do in the castle; but first off, it’s a very charming and romantic building and you really feel like a Baron or Baroness when you stay there. Something that is very unique compared to your standard 4 or 5 star hotel. They have an excellent pool which we couldn’t use because the weather simply wouldn't allow it. They have a trampoline for the kids, they have a ping-pong table and they have bicycles as well as an assortment of books and board games - so there is always something you can do with kids. For us, one of the best features were their two dogs. The kids loved it and they loved to play with the dogs. We also went to many attractions and castles in the loire region and for that it’s situated in a great spot; you can reach almost anything within 1 hour radius in any direction by car. The restaurant The “restaurant” is not in fact a restaurant but home cooking at it’s best. They are excellent cooks and the two dinners we had were excellent and at a price that’s not match able by a comparable restaurant. We had excellent wine from the region and enjoyed fresh seafood. They also serve an excellent breakfast. The hosts Finally, the hosts, Rob and Marie-Louise were excellent hosts. They are essentially hotel manager, reception, concierge and cook in one - which is a lot and this is something that as a guest you should probably take into account. They are very knowledgeable about the region and were very helpful in giving us ideas about where to go with the kids.