Before we left England I was in two minds whether to cancel this hotel after reading previous reviews. On arrival our spirits lifted as the position of the hotel is lovely. Thr receptionist was charming and although we had booked one of the cheaper pavilion rooms we were not too disappointed for the price we had paid. Although rather dated it was very clean and the bed was comfortable. I must add that all these rooms are in the process of being updated. The restaurant was excellent and the staff there extremelt helpful and attentive. There is a newly marked wine trail through the suroounding vineyards which gives a very good insight into the Beaujolais wine region. We took the opportunity to stock up on some excellent value wines from the shop in the hotel. The young lady who served us was extremly knowledgeable and helped us to choose a good selection.

My husband and I stayed at the Chateau for two days in April as I'd received the stay (and ownership of some of the vines) as a birthday present from my family.

The arrival was not a relaxed affair - be warned there is one Pizay on the map of France but it's south east of Lyon so having arrived in Pizay and realised there wasn't a chateau there and we should, in fact, have been near to St Jean d'Ardieres (which we'd passed about 1 hour previously) we made our way back up the motorway. I know I was partly to blame as I should have double checked where we going but it didn't help on check in to have the receptionist say, "yes, we have many guests who make that mistake". Aaahh!!

Most of the staff at the chateau were incredibly polite and helpful. I did feel however that the reception staff felt as if you were doing them a favour staying there and were a little snooty. I had to ask quite a few questions rather than have the information readily given (which I did in French so it wasn't as if I was being a typical Brit abroad)

We stayed in one of the duplex apartments which were very modern with a flat screen TV, seating area and minibar downstairs which opened on to a patio which then had views out on to the vineyards and swimming pool. What we hadn't been told was that the hotel was in the process of building a spa right by the apartments which meant the patio had black and yellow tape across it as it was a building area - not quite the picturesque outlook we'd envisaged. The bedroom is upstairs with another flat screen TV. However, there isn't any air con upstairs so it was very hot in the bedroom ... as well as a longer than liked walk to the bathroom in the night!

We had booked a package which included dinner each night. Unfortunately the set menu didn't change and rather than give you a credit towards your second night's dinner so you could pick from the a la carte menu, you had to pick from the same set menu (three choices only for each course) that you'd had the night before. As the food was rather 'over fancy' and very rich, we were glad we were only staying two nights. Particularly as the lunchtime menu was also the same.

The chateau, however, is in a beautiful setting and we had a great tour of the vineyards, wine making process and wine tasting. We were also fortunate to be staying at the chateau in unusually hot weather for the time of year and were, therefore, able to take advantage of having predinner drinks in the courtyard and even sitting by the pool during the day.

Overall the stay was a great experience but you did feel that with a few of the rough edges smoothed out, it would have been an amazing experience.

The setting of the hotel is stunning and it is surrounded by its own vineyards in the wonderful Beaujolais countryside. The reception one receives is rather stodgy and officious but though not a major turn-off could be better. There are two types of rooms, those attached to the chateau itself which are more expensive and traditional (I now wish I had booked one of these) and those in the grounds which are like terraced lodges and which have views over the vineyards or the hotel swimming pool. They are in fact duplexes with a lounge downstairs and one's bedroom up self-contained stairs. The idea is nice but the decor is out of context with the chateau and a little bit like a chain hotel. Most of the rooms have their own terrace, which is nice but the terrace furniture is again very functionally mundane and does not make one feel at all pampered. Again ok but could be so much better.

The grounds are huge and feature superb topiary, a small lake and the vinery. However the overall feel one has is of a huge estate that doesn't quite have the budget to keep it in the manner it deserves. All over the place one notices little imperfections and little maintenance or gardening jobs that need to be done.

And what of the restaurant. Firstly the ambience is excellent but is let down by rather lack lustre service and a fairly average maitre d' who is in marked contrast to the total professionalism one expects in this level of hotel. The food was good but the style rather over fussy - every dish was accompanied by a froth for example - although some of the tastes were superb. The flavour of the peas in my pigeon and peas was sublime, the olive combination with my monkfish was a little overpowering but my wife's lamb and my son's crayfish tart rather disappointing. The wine list was comprehensive and was particularly good value for the local Macon whites and the Cru Beaujolais reds.

The food was of the kind that one would not want to eat every day which was rather fortunate as when about twenty hotel guests tried to book for Sunday evening they were told they could not be accommodated. This created a difficulty for many as the hotel is in the countryside and ceratinly necessiates a reasonable drive to find alternative arrangements. To be fair the Hotel Manager contacted me later to apologise that two waiters had been taken ill and they had had to cut the number of diners they could accomodate. Still not what one would really expect!!

I will however end on a high spot, as the Manager of the vineyard, Pascal is an absolute professional who is steeped in wine and in hospitality. His tour and tasting was superb and this was one area in which I couldn't put the comment `Could do Better` which was the lingering feeling one got of the rest of the hotel.

We stayed in one of the Chateau wing rooms for 2 nights in September. Our ground floor room (cheaper than the first floor) had a terrace area outside with chairs and a table. This was a lovely sun-trap and you even occasionally get a pea-hen wandering through! The decor in these rooms is more traditional, but they are still bright and airy with lovely big bathrooms.

We booked the half-board option, and very much enjoyed both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast is a traditional continental breakfast with breads, croissants, meat and cheese as well as a lovely lady who provides hot drinks on request. We ate from the Chateau's two different menus (with 2 choices for each course) and the food was superb.

However, their wine was even better! The beaujolais was superb and can be bought for around 5 euros a bottle from the tasting room.

The location of Chateau de Pizay is excellent for both other vineyards in Burgundy and driving around France, being no more than 15 minutes from the motorway between Lyon and Dijon.

We would definitely stay again.