We stayed at Chateau d'Ivoy on our way to the South of France. We had a lovely time exploring this eccentric Chateau and loved the family who's home it is.

It's full of history, character and is a completely bonkers interior dream! At breakfast which is communal my husband had a surreal conversation about cars - in particular Morgan 3 wheelers (all in french at 9am!)

If we head back this way again to explore the vineyards we'd be more than happy to stay again

We chose Chateau D'Ivoy as a base for exploring the Sancerre vineyards and could not have been happier with our choice.

The Chateau is in a quiet location, in a nature reserve and is decorated beautifully.

Inside, every room was full of stunning - and sometimes very quirky - antiques and decorative items. From the gold arms extending from the walls holding candelabras to the butterfly collections to the breakfast table decorated in the most beautiful Limoges china collection (every single guest photographed it when we were there because it was so beautiful) there is a reason to gasp in admiration whenever you enter a room.

Real thought has gone into your comfort; wih CD players and CDs provided in each bathroom for a pre-dinner soak and a flask of whisky in each room for a nightcap.

However, don't think that this will make it either an intimidating or formal place to stay - the owners are relaxed and are delighted to for you to explore (within reason!) their home and invite you every evening to share an aperitif (as their guest - no charges) before giving you directions to the restaurant they have booked you into for the night.

We had one of the best meals either of us had ever eaten in one of the recommendations and the advice we were given re vineyards to visit was invaluable.

As we left, the owners invited us to drop in the next time we were in the area but stressed this was to be a visit as friends not guests - you don't get that kind of hospitality at an anonymous hotel chain!