Loire Valley Lodges - Hotel

Loire Valley Lodges is a unique experience. The young staff are friendly and enthusiastic, you feel that they are thrilled to be part of an experience you're going to enjoy. The rooms/lodges lack for nothing, coming with your own personal jacuzzi and sauna. Breakfast, delivered in a hamper to be winched up into your lodge, means there's no need for a last minute dash to the restaurant. Speaking of which, there are two, a bistro and a Michelin starred. Food and service at both is right up there. In short, I cannot recommend Loire Valley Lodges too highly.

From arrival to departure, where they gave us a small tree as a proper message to plant trees - it was a unique show of careful protection of trees, and forest management It’s only 4 years old, and took 7 months to build - but 4 years in planning and paperwork with the local councils, to ensure proper protection of the forest which you feel in abundance on arrival The stilted cabins are the perfect balance of eco, paired down luxury, authentic touches - all built in wood, stones basins, wall to wall windows each end for maximum nestled in “top of the trees” feeling. Super comfortable beds and bedding, artworks, books on trees, wooden but modern furniture The terrace attched has a winch where you pull up your breakfast in a basket and sit on your terrace to have it in the tree tops, with the birds and squirrels - the room has a coffee plunger and lots of teas, made from the garden, in test tubes - nothing is “packaged” - there is also no wifi or TV which is a total joy (but you can when you at the main hotel) The grounds are right back at the 100 Acre woods - you can bike around, see the stunning 5 trees in the lake, cycle past huge and brilliant sculptures There is a charming kitchen garden and bee hives. The pool is also stunning (22meter long) surrounded by olives trees, comfy loungers and loungy chairs and sculptures - close to the bar for drinks at your lounger They have two restaurants - we only were able to do one, so went for Ardent & the tasting menu restaurant - choice of 4/6/8 courses - very nice - each dish had a nod to the forest, the pines, the bark, the vegetables grown on the garden and some of the dishes were outstanding and the flavours were great & unique - we also chose the pairing wine which bought some surprising flavour combinations- local wines and unusual “drinks” that weren’t wine but were alcoholic (including a Mead made from the home grown honey) We would have liked to try the other al La carte menu as there was a barbecue outside that had huge pieces of hung steak, that I think might have been more our vibe - but it was by no means unenjoyable, but you have to be into that “surprise 6 dishes” dinner Finally the staff were great - the two girls who welcomed us and got us to our cabins and introduced us to the property, were the most charming front of house staff I have met in France ( I feel sad I didn’t grab their names as they most certainly deserve name checks!) also the restaurant manager was hilarious and lots of fun! I would HIGHLY recommend - close by to lots of Chateaux’s and such a unique experience - I felt super proud of what they had achieved - it feels like a proper labour of love, dedication and it will only improve and mature in years to come