Chateau de Courcelles Hotel

The park and landscape around the hotel are lovely, and the setting really is beautiful. But inside, the building and rooms feel worn and dated, the outdoor areas aren’t well kept, and the service didn’t come close to what I’d expect from a Relais & Châteaux. We sat on the terrace when we arrived and asked for the drinks menu. It came, but nobody followed up to see if we wanted to order. That evening we had a table booked at the hotel’s Michelin restaurant. We were invited to have an aperitif on the terrace, then waited half an hour without service and went inside. There, it took another forty five minutes before anyone came over, and only then could we order champagne. The wine service was just as careless. When we ordered white Burgundy, the sommelier poured a tasting into my husband’s used champagne glass, then did the same with mine. At first we thought it was a slip, but it happened twice. That’s unacceptable in any serious restaurant, particularly one with Michelin recognition. The meal was a letdown too. The courses had little flavor, the fish was undercooked, and the dishes showed no finesse or attention to detail. We ended up leaving before the menu was finished, something we’d never done before. The beautiful grounds couldn’t make up for the tired facilities, poor service, and disappointing restaurant. In my view, the property no longer deserves the Relais & Châteaux name.

The view is the one thing that makes this place worthwhile. Service is rude and disorganized, and even basic things get overlooked or aren’t communicated. The restaurant’s food and service are below par, so I don’t understand how it got a Michelin star. If you’re planning to bike, bring your own, since the hotel bikes aren’t fit for purpose. Otherwise, spend your money elsewhere.

The place is remote, with nothing nearby, and the closest town is 45 minutes away. There’s an outdoor pool on the property, and a restaurant they call Michelin, but see my separate restaurant review. The grounds are beautiful and distinctive, and my room had a rustic, country feel. Check-in was slow and chilly, with an unwelcoming, arrogant air. I had to ask three times for champagne and a cheese plate for the room. You’d think they might offer a glass of champagne at a property in Champagne, but no. The safe wouldn’t open either. An engineer spent 15-20 minutes trying to get it open before we had to leave. Dinner was so poor that we left basically hungry after paying 275 euro. We drove around looking for somewhere else to eat, but there was nothing open nearby. We didn’t bother with breakfast and left at 8. When I raised the restaurant problem at reception, they called the manager, who offered to remove the cheese plate from our bill. That felt really disrespectful. This isn’t five star service and doesn’t justify the price: 800+ euros for one night and dinner. They’d also added breakfast for 90 euros even though we never went and hadn’t asked for it. They’d left a welcome piece of “cake” in the room, but it was old, completely inedible, and had a hair in it.

The setting was so peaceful, with beautiful views and a natural feel around the grounds. We loved the room details, the pool service with champagne, and the warm welcome at check-in. The team clearly has a lot of experience and passion for hospitality, wine, and food, and our dining experience was exceptional. We were delighted to enjoy the cuisine, and grateful to the chef and team. We had such a wonderful stay and can’t wait to return. I only wish we’d had more time to stay longer!