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Discovering the Loire Region for 72 hours and planning to try all the Relais & Chateaux of the area, Hautes Roches was next on the list. Few minutes from Tours, hosting a Michelin starred restaurant and proposing very wide and relaxing rooms, my stay was indeed memorable.
Rising over the banks of the royal river just a few minutes from the center of Tours, an 18th-century manor house nestled against a cliff is lit up by the Loire Valley's gentle light. From the moment you arrive, the hotel personnel's welcome is as simple and warm as the surroundings. It is this unique atmosphere at the Hautes Roches hotel that transforms every moment of your stay into a remarkable experience.
I arrived at 6 pm, was welcomed by the bellman who helped with the bags and introduced the room. The hotel is indeed about one single house and several windows sculpted into the cliff behind it. The hotel has 14 rooms, all facing South and overlooking the meandering Loire river. 12 rooms are sculpted into the rock; the two others are situated on the first floor of the manor house. It is only natural that in such an unusual environment, every room must be unique. Unique regarding the care and attention paid to the decor where high-quality materials and the rock create subtle harmonies, but also the unique characteristics created by a living space carved into the rock: calm, comfort and above all, originality.
These caves once belonged to the Marmoutier Abbey. After a long period of renovation, the dormitories initially reserved for the monks were transformed and became part of the Relais & Chateaux family in 1991. From that moment on the Hautes Roches hotel has retained its title as France's leading luxury Troglodytic hotel.
Whatever the occasion, a stay in the troglodyte caves will always be an unforgettable experience. Right inside the core of the cliffs, in the maze of rooms sculpted in the rock, you come face to face with the exceptional.... and complete comfort too! Far from their initial role as monastic cells, the troglodyte bedrooms fully meet every expectation of a luxury establishment. The tufa, a rock whose appearance resembles a velvety fabric, is a material that is particularly appreciated for its health-promoting characteristics and qualities. Its light shades contribute to the unusual fragrance that drifts through the rooms. And the temperature, in summer as well as in winter, is always perfect.
The room is huge... a large bed, a saloon, a working desk, and television as well as a gigantic bathroom. Very relaxing and soothing the room makes you want to spend the week.
After a superb dinner at the hotel's starred restaurant and a memorable night sleep, I woke up to breakfast. In a calm and relaxing setup with a view of the Loire river, I let my senses relax and appreciate the scenery. Orange juice, yogurt, a basket of croissant and bread, jam and coffee. A simple choice but who needs more.
