Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa Champillon in France

After driving along the winding road in France’s Montagne de Reims and entering the lobby, Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in Champillon, France—with its sweeping staircase to be greeted by the warm staff—I immediately felt at ease.

The hotel is a former coaching inn from the 19th century, redesigned by Reims architect Giovanni Pace. It embraces sleek modernism while maintaining the charm of a country estate. The hotel is also wheelchair accessible. T+L readers’ favorite resort in FranceAccording to T+L’s 2024 World’s Best Awards. The hotel is located in Champillion, a village with a population of 500 people.

Champagne is certainly a focus—the glass Champagne cellar is just below the lobby—but it isn’t thrust on you. The hotel features stunning chandeliers and terraces of 15,000 sq. ft. that offer breathtaking views over the Marne Valley. All of the suites, the spa, the infinity pools, and the bistro offer the same breathtaking views. Although I was there during the off-season, the quiet start to winter was almost as attractive as the busier summer. Holiday decor made the property even more special. 

Read my full review below. Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa.

The Rooms

The room was located right next to the lobby but I still felt calm and peaceful with the muted colours and the large, comfortable bed. European showers usually leave me feeling underwhelmed and confused, but this one exceeded all my expectations. This shower was not only beautiful, but it also came with a lovely bathtub.

It is the use of gold and rose in the room that serves as a subtle reminder where you are. The oak, limestone and stone furniture, fixtures and fittings complete this look. Enjoying a glass or morning coffee on your private balcony will make the perfect end to the day.  The room also includes an espresso machine, Dyptique bathroom products, and a mini-bar stocked with soft drinks.

All 47 guest rooms and suites are spacious—most measure 474 square feet—and feature a sitting area and either a terrace or a balcony. However, if you need more space, the 1,152-square-foot Joséphine Suite is an obvious choice, especially for a small family. Named for Joséphine Bonaparte, the first wife of Napoleon, who was known for her sophisticated sense of fashion and patronage of the arts, this first-floor suite has a king-size bed, a separate dressing room, and a living area perfect for lounging around.

Food and Drink

Le Royal is the hotel’s 36-seater restaurant. The executive chef Christophe Raoux oversees this restaurant. Le Royal offers three different tasting menus as well as an à la carte option. The “Signature Menu”, which is currently available, includes seven courses with the option of a wine pairing. The food was beautiful, and the courses were all works of art. Many had edible flowers. They were almost too gorgeous to eat. The cheese course, between desserts, may have become my favorite palate cleaner.

The dining room’s ambiance only enhances the cuisine. A statue of Napoleon Bonaparte is perched in the center, beneath a gold-leafed ceiling, with four large portraits of his two wives (Josephine Bonaparte and Marie Louisa of Austria), his mistress Countess Marie Walewska and his first love, Désirée Clary, displayed around the room. Maison Fragile of Limoges is responsible for the porcelain tableware.

Le Bellevue is a chic brasserie that offers more traditional French cuisine. The 180-degree panoramic view of Epernay, Marne Valley and the surrounding area is enhanced by a wall of bay window. The brasserie also has a special health-focused ‘Make it Balanced’ menu in collaboration with nutri-cosmetics expert Dr. Olivier Courtin-Clarins. If you are looking for more of a bar vibe (and a chance to make your entire dinner a charcuterie board), try The Abysse Bar & Terrace, which is right off of Le Bellevue.

It wouldn’t be a top Champagne hotel without a tasting area. The Salon Fines Bulles on the first-floor has a great view of a glass Champagne cellar at the center. This room can seat up to eight guests for a Champagne tasting. Sommelier Philippe Marques is responsible for the 20,000-bottle cellar that has over 600 different Champagnes (my personal favorite was the Rare Champagne Rosé 2012).

The Spa

Royal Champagne’s Spa is not just aesthetically perfect, but also offers exceptional services. The spa is a wellness haven in all senses. It has nine treatment rooms as well a hammam a sauna a gym a yoga studio and manicure & pedicure stations. The spa partners with French brand Biologique Recherche Skincare. It also launched myBlend, a facial using Clarins Group supercharged serums.

But all the facials in the world can’t beat the two infinity pools—one indoor and one outdoor. Both are temperature-controlled, surrounded by chaises and day beds for the perfect nap, and behold that impeccable view of the vineyards.

Accessibility and sustainability

Sustainability was given a high priority in the redesign of this hotel, which took place in 2018. The hotel features full insulation, automated systems for air supply, and double-glazed, high-reflectivity windows to minimize solar impact and reduce energy consumption. A UV treatment system is also used to maintain the ph level and reduce chlorine. Staff are trained in environmental practices and regular composting. 

Activities and Experiences

Hotel guests can also rent bikes, or take a hot-air balloon ride to get a birds-eye view of the Montagne de Reims. Horseback riding and open-air buggy tours are also offered. The guest experience team at the hotel can arrange everything from Champagne tastings, which some Champagne houses are not open to the general public, to sommeliers’ tastings at the Salon Fines Bulles.

Reims Cathedral is only 15 miles from the city. Built in 1211, the cathedral rivals Notre Dame de Paris for beauty but is not as crowded.  And, of course, you can book Champagne tastings at iconic houses, including Moët & Chandon and Veuve Cliquot, or tour the caves of Taittinger, Ruinart, and Pommery, all located in Reims.

If you find yourself at Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa in December, January, or around Easter, the hotel hosts weekend afternoon tea featuring pastries by the hotel’s dessert chef Claire Santos Lopes.

Location

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa overlooks the village of Champillon in Champagne, a UNESCO World Heritage region northeast of Paris. From Paris, you can travel by train for 40 minutes to Epernay. Then you will need to drive 15 minutes to reach the hotel. It will take you about two hours to travel from Paris to this property. Reims is a 30 minute drive away and offers a variety of champagne houses, tours and charming shops and restaurants for a day trip. 

The Best Way to Get the Most Out of Your Stay

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa is an American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts partner, which meansAmerican Express Platinum cardholders Amex Travel customers can enjoy benefits (complimentary two-person breakfast; late checkout), if they make a booking.

Nightly rates at Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa start from $907 for a garden junior suite.