Chateau De Germigney
One Michelin Key
Check Availability & Prices
Find the best rates for Chateau De Germigney.
Check Availability on Booking.comView the official listing on the MICHELIN Guide.
Hotel Details
Explore More Hotels
Key Highlights
- ✓Exceptional Service:** The staff's friendliness, attentiveness, and dedication to guest satisfaction are frequently praised.
- ✓Bistro Ambiance:** One guest suggested the bistro's decor could be improved, despite the excellent food.
Expert Review: Chateau De Germigney
Chateau De Germigney: A Michelin One-Key Oasis in the Jura Countryside
Chateau De Germigney in Port-Lesney, France, a distinguished Michelin One-Key property, offers guests a luxurious and tranquil escape in the picturesque Jura region. Transformed from an 18th-century hunting lodge, the hotel consistently garners praise for its elegant ambiance, exceptional service, and superb culinary offerings, making it an ideal choice for romantic getaways or peaceful family holidays.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus among guests is overwhelmingly positive, with the Chateau de Germigney frequently described as a "luxurious oasis of peace" where time seems to slow down. Guests consistently rate their overall experience as wonderful or exceptional, highlighting the beautiful surroundings, friendly staff, and high-quality facilities. The hotel boasts a high overall experience score of 18.5 out of 20 from verified Michelin Guide guests, with particularly strong ratings for cleanliness and public spaces (19.2) and staff (9.5).
2. Key Highlights
Guests love the Chateau De Germigney for several standout features:
- Peaceful Setting and Design: The hotel is celebrated for its serene atmosphere, set within a vast 3.5-hectare park, offering numerous secluded spots for relaxation. The mansion itself, expertly furnished by Roland and Véréna Schön, blends historical charm with contemporary comfort, featuring cedarwood parquet floors, period furniture, and silky wall hangings.
- Exceptional Service: The staff's friendliness, attentiveness, and dedication to guest satisfaction are frequently praised.
- Superb Dining: The hotel offers a gourmet restaurant and a more casual bistro, both receiving high acclaim for their quality and inventive cuisine.
- Amenities: Highlights include a natural outdoor swimming pool, a Caudalie Vinotherapy spa with a steam room, sauna, sensory pool, and outdoor jacuzzi, and well-maintained grounds ideal for walks. The presence of chickens and a beehive on the property, contributing fresh eggs and honey to breakfast, adds a charming, rustic touch.
3. Room Quality
The 28 rooms and suites at Chateau De Germigney are individually decorated in a classic yet contemporary-luxe style, featuring elegant furniture, well-chosen fabrics, and wooden floors. Most rooms offer beautiful views of the park. Guests describe the rooms as spacious and comfortable. Bathrooms are generally large, often featuring double sinks and L'Occitane products. Suite rooms, such as number 10, are particularly noted for their elegance and size. Amenities typically include air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a television, telephone, minibar, and a safe.
4. Dining Experience
Chateau De Germigney offers a remarkable dining experience across two establishments:
- Gastronomic Restaurant (Maison Rosella): Led by Chef Julien Thomasson, the gourmet restaurant, housed within the chateau, serves inventive and refined classic French cuisine, often meriting a Michelin star. The chef focuses on carefully selected local and seasonal products. The dining room, with its vaulted ceilings and chandeliers, provides a sophisticated atmosphere.
- Bistro Le Pontarlier: Located approximately 500 meters from the hotel, the bistro offers a more casual yet incredibly delicious experience with generous helpings of traditional country fare at reasonable prices. It has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its good food and value.
- Breakfast: Described as a "real French dream," breakfast, served in the orangery or on the terrace, is highly praised. It includes a variety of fresh bread, pastries (including a pastry of the day), local cheeses, cold cuts, homemade yogurt, and eggs made to order. Organic honey from the hotel's own beehives is also a highlight.
5. Service & Staff
The service at Chateau De Germigney consistently receives high praise for its friendliness, attentiveness, and professionalism. Guests frequently commend the staff for going "above and beyond" to ensure a perfect stay, noting their gracious attitude and efficiency. The welcome is described as personalized and warm.
6. Location & Accessibility
The Chateau is idyllically situated in Port-Lesney, a charming and quiet village in the heart of the French Jura region, on the banks of the river Loue. This area is known for its beauty and is less touristy than some other French regions. It is about a 30-minute drive from Dole and Besançon, and approximately 2.5 hours by TGV from Paris. Nearby attractions include two UNESCO-rated historical sites: the Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans and the Salt Mines at Salins-Les-Bains. A car is recommended for exploring the surrounding area. The hotel itself is set on extended grounds, offering opportunities for walks and enjoying nature.
7. Value & Pricing
While considered a luxury property, guests generally find the prices fair for the "whole package" offered. Room rates can vary, with standard rooms starting around $222-$245, double rooms around $359, and deluxe rooms or suites ranging from $405-$480 per night. Breakfast is often an additional cost, around €23 per person. The bistro offers generous portions at bargain prices (e.g., a dinner for €28), while the gourmet restaurant's signature menu can be around €120 per person. Despite some concerns about the overall value for money due to additional costs for certain spa services, many guests feel the luxurious and relaxing experience justifies the price.
8. Common Complaints
While largely positive, some recurring criticisms include:
- Shower-Bathtubs: Some guests have found the shower-bathtub combination in certain bathrooms to be somewhat inconvenient.
- Outdated Decor: A few comments mention that the decor in some rooms could be perceived as slightly outdated.
- Additional Spa Costs: There have been mentions of extra charges for certain spa services, such as accessing the indoor pool, which some guests found disappointing.
- Bistro Ambiance: One guest suggested the bistro's decor could be improved, despite the excellent food.
- Restaurant Preference: While the gourmet restaurant is highly rated, one review suggested it might not be to everyone's taste, finding it expensive and not to their liking, recommending the bistro instead.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While largely positive, some recurring criticisms include:
- •Additional Spa Costs:** There have been mentions of extra charges for certain spa services, such as accessing the indoor pool, which some guests found disappointing.
About One Michelin Key
One Michelin Key is awarded to hotels that offer a very special stay. These properties are characterized by their unique personality, high quality, and ability to create memorable experiences for guests.
