My wife and I have been here twice and will keep coming back. Amazing place and lovely and interesting hosts. Great food. Such history.

Highly recommended. They provide excellent service and give you a very relaxed enviroment. Great Antiques. We must come back to visit for the next trip to France.

My wife and I scheduled a 3 night stay at Chateau de la Barre during the beginning of our honeymoon in July. Upon arrival, I made the crucial mistake of thinking that they would have an automatic car for me at the Europcar rental place near Vendome. The attendant called Marnie at the Chateau and it was arranged that we would rent Marnie's automatic car directly from her and Guy, so we took a (very expensive) taxi to the Chateau and were able to use Marnie's car for the rest of the trip. This was not the last time Marnie would come to our rescue!

Let me begin by saying that if you are someone who likes to lounge around and relax at a hotel, I would not suggest staying at Chateau de la Barre. In my opinion, this is not a hotel, and it is not a bed and breakfast, nor is it located in an area where strolling the town would be a worthy way to spend your time. There is no "staff" - except for the hospitality offered by Guy and Marnie - you are a guest in their house and you are generally left to your own devices.

The big perk of staying here is the Chateau itself, and the fact that it's a family museum of sorts with artifacts that are relevant to their family and the history of France. For example, in the entrance room there is a regal looking "chair" that would be hoisted by four men so that the individual going from his house to a party wouldn't have to walk and dirty his shoes. There are paintings of all the important family members, including an individual who was the first ambassador from France to the United States. The rooms have all been redone with modern conveniences (very nice sinks, toilets showers in some rooms, etc.) and if you are an antique buff you will love all of the paintings, furniture, china, etc. that makes up every room.

The second reason you stay at Chateau de la Barre is that it is in the heart of the Loire valley, close to fantastic sites that look like they are straight out of a fairytale book and amazing restaurants that Marnie books for you. Marnie gives you maps and sends you on your way to the must-see stops and some smaller quaint places that look like they haven't changed in centuries.

As far as restaurants go, Marnie set us up at a gourmet restaurant in the old city of Le Mans, a fantastic restaurant in what became our favorite town - a little place called Lavardin - and advice on places to go for lunch. Breakfast was at the Chateau in the morning. The first day it was in the main dining room since another couple and family were staying with us, but the last two breakfasts were in the small dining room since we were the only guests in the house. Who makes the breakfast? That would be Marnie - she made excellent eggs with tomatoes, we had delicious yogurt, and homemade jam with croissants.

Marnie and Guy were incredibly gracious. Marnie works tirelessly to keep the house in perfect shape and make you feel like you are an important guest in their home. Marnie was extremely attentive to every question we had over email beforehand and gave us a choice of rooms listed on their detailed and informative website. We chose Chambre Jaune, the Yellow Room, and were not dissapointed - all of the decorations from the bedding to the wallpaper to the cute little tissue box were designed with the color and pattern that tied the entire room together. The furniture was clearly antique but functional; the bathroom was large, luxurious and came with two comfortable bathrobes; there were two chairs for us to sit and read in; and the large windows opened up out to the beautiful garden. The room was private and cozy. On our second day we were given a tour of the rest of the bedrooms, which are all unique and beautiful in their own ways.

At one point on a Sunday we were running out of petrol, which is a problem since most stations are closed on Sunday and we were planning on going to Lavardin for the evening. On top of that, our credit cards weren't working in the petrol machines. Marnie called a bunch of stations and found one open about 20 minutes away, so we followed her there, and she used her card to pump the petrol and we paid her in cash. Then she showed us how to get to where we were going from there.

As far as the sites we saw - Marnie directed us to some of the most memorable and romantic places my wife and I have ever seen, from little towns with old Chateaus and unique cultures and histories to the major sites like Chateau Chenonceau and Clois Luce.

Overall, if you are the adventurous type looking for something unique and special but have expensive tastes (food, wine, hospitality), Chateau de la Barre is for you. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Marnie and Guy for opening their home and taking such good care of us during our stay.

We are two couples who spent two nights with Guy and Marnie in early October. I say it this way because we did feel that we were more like guests in their private home than in a hotel. This chateau has been in Guy's family for over 600 years and he and Marnie made our stay one of personal revelations of the history of the property and of life growing up there. We arrived early and were met with Marnie coming from the garden with flowers for the rooms and Guy arrived with mushrooms from the woods for our dinner. We enjoyed sharing the Grand Siecle dinner with Guy and Marnie the first night we arrived...a lovely experience with deliciously prepared food, specially chosen wines from the Loire Valley, and interesting conversation. Our rooms were lovely, filled with antique and beautiful furniture with special touches to make them comfortable.The public rooms are filled with historical pieces that are elegant and welcoming. Our hosts were generously gracious in every way making the whole experience of our stay truly unique and wonderful...aristocratic. It was a highlight of our month in France.

The chateau is located in the countryside but within a day trip of a number of interesting sights and villages. Marnie is great at suggestions and planning for making your days interesting. But the experience of staying here is the prize worth seeking.