Château de la Ronde

When in the Loire ... A trip to the Loire Valley is undoubtedly all about visiting castles; we can’t think of any other better way to be immersed in this experience than to stay in one – and Le Chateau de la Ronde ticks all the boxes! Turn off the highway and the drive up to the Chateau takes you through a canopy of gorgeous trees to the entrance gate, which opens to the immense and exceptionally maintained property that is home to this 17th century chateau, complete with swimming pool and rose trees. With only three rooms (or room/suites) to choose from – we selected the Alphonsy room and were surprised on arrival with an upgrade to the Alphonsy Suite! From start to finish this was a dream come true stay. A warm and inviting greeting from the owner, Claire (who lives on-site), we enter the living room that connects the three suites. The beautiful fragrance that fills this room marks our first impression of the interior – Claire is clearly exceptionally skillful when it comes to details and knows how successfully to create a space intended to make a lasting impression. From this shared living room is a private door to La Chambre Alphonsy which takes our breath away. This large open concept room (80 m2, or 130 m2 if taking the suite) has beautiful natural light and is stunning in every respect – modern design and décor seamlessly combine with the preservation of the historical and original aspects of the room. The bed and linens are luxurious. Just steps away from the bed, and a few steps up (four, to be exact) take you to the bathroom via a short hallway that connects this room to the other half, which, altogether forms the Alphonsy Suite. The bathroom is as elegant as the main (bed)room and is characterized by opulence – with walls tiled in marble, double sinks each with a lit-from-behind round mirror, a large walk-in shower, and a gorgeous free-standing soaker tub – all complete with plush white towels, Guerlain products, and a thoughtful sachet filled with items you might have forgot at home (including a shaving set, exfoliator, toothbrush and more). Additional comforts and thoughtful details include a sachet with flip flops (should you be there when it is warm enough to enjoy the pool), robes and slippers, and extra pillows. For breakfast Claire provides a card with the options – fill it out and hang it on the door. In the morning Claire delivers to your room (or the terrace if it is warm enough outside) at your specified time, the best croissants, jams, pain au chocolat, and fresh fruit, along with juice and coffee/tea. Like everything else she does, Claire does this perfectly - right down to the presentation of it all which is complete with beautiful dishes and silverware. Everything is done with intention. Being the last guests of the season, we had the fortunate opportunity to tour the other rooms ... each one different from the others and all three phenomenally decorated. All rooms are outfitted with top-of-the-line app