My wife and I stayed here for two nights in late August ‘09. The BW Hotel de France is cute as a button, and oozes charm. It is situated right on the picturesque main square of Chinon, at the foot of the Chateau ruins. With one proviso (see below) it is a great value and we highly recommend it.
Our room (#210) was adequate sized, with a comfortable king bed, desk, built-in luggage rack, two night stands, closet. It was simply but tastefully decorated in period style. Our room overlooked the square and our french doors opened onto a small balcony. This turned out to be both a feature and a flaw. Since there is no a.c., in warmer months you have to leave the doors open for ventilation, but there can be a lot of noise from the square. We were staying Friday and Saturday nights, and the noise was very loud and went until 3 or 4 am. Even with earplugs sleeping was difficult. Other rooms would be quieter but would sacrifice the charming view, and it might be quieter during the week.
The newly redone bathroom had a shower and a pedestal sink with a small shelf above it (i.e., not much counter space).
The public areas of the hotel are very attractive, with old ceiling timbers, walls covered with fabric, an inner courtyard, etc. We ate in the hotel restaurant one night and it was very good food and service. The desk staff was friendly and helpful. Wifi is included.
Parking is 9euro extra in the hotel garage, or you can park free from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. in the public lot just around the corner (easy access even with luggage).
Overall, the Hotel de France could be a very good value and a good choice for this part of the Loire Valley, providing the noise problem can be addressed – either a different room or different nights of the week during the summer.
- Best Western Chinon
- Best Western De France
- Chinon Best Western
