Château Hôtel Grand Barrail

The four star 19^th century Château Hotel Grand Barrail lies among some beautiful countryside near to Bordeaux and nearer still to Saint-Emilion in the heart of South West France‘s Aquitaine Dordogne. The estate is surrounded by beautifully tended gardens and acres of vineyards, and is particularly known for two things, its food; the kitchen, run by Chef Romain Gondras serves up some of the most innovative cuisine in the region, and its extensive spa which has two hammams, two saunas, a hot tub, various treatment and fitness rooms and a wide choice of Cinq Mondes body treatments.

THE ACCOMMODATION:

Between the château and its three neighbouring annexes there is a choice of over 40 rooms and suites. Most of them have a terrace or balcony from where you can enjoy views over the surrounding vineyards.

All are extremely comfortable and clean and though these days quite modern in style they still retain an old fashioned opulence and charm. They have the usual modern comforts of course; flat screen TV, WiFi, study and seating area, as well as some beautiful en-suite bathrooms.

The château itself is of course very beautiful and you can choose to spend your days strolling through the gardens and surrounding vineyards, or using one of its many excellent facilities: its outdoor swimming pool, its spa and gym, or at its fine restaurant and lounges, which include a smoking lounge with cigar bar.

THE LOCATION:

Near to the wonderful city of Bordeaux and in the heart of the Aquitaine Dordogne, Château Hotel Grand Barrail has a fitting location for such a gorgeous property. The Dordogne is an irresistible place, deeply rural and serene, it is a patchwork of small farms, vineyards and medieval villages that have been enchanting cultured visitors for generations. It gets many foreign visitors, especially from England, and over the years many of them have settled in the area.

The highlight of the immediate area is of course the nearby town of Saint-Emillion, a UNESCO world heritage site, it is famed equally for its historical sites as for its wines.

The Romans first planted vineyards here back in the second century AD and it has been producing some of the world’s most coveted wines ever since. It has also a strong religious heritage; with it being on the ancient pilgrimage route of Santiago de Compostela it has a wealth of medieval churches and monasteries dating as far back as the 11th century.

It is a beautiful town to stroll around, small and easy to manage but containing more than a few quality restaurants and interesting sites. Make sure you visit the underground section too; the catacombs and the incredible underground church.

There are many more villages worth visiting too, and a slow drive around this rich countryside is a real pleasure. As too is cycling, and you can arrange bike hire direct from the hotel.

SOME HISTORY:

Though having the appearance and style of a medieval chateau the building wasn’t actually constructed until 1903. It once formed a part of the enormous Figeac wine estate, when it was known as Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac.

The estates separated in 1956 and in 1972 the vineyard and the château too separated, with the latter becoming a hotel. Though it still lends its name to one of the many fine wines of the Bordeaux wine region; the Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, it is now more well known for being one of the premier hotels of the Bordeaux Right Bank.

It is also worth noting some of the Arabesque style stained glass windows and frescoes at the hotel, particularly in the Salon Mauresque. The original owner was a keen traveller to Arab lands, especially to what is now Saudi Arabia, and he seemingly came back inspired by the art and architecture of that region.