Les Hayes en Sologne
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Hotel Details
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Les Hayes en Sologne · Vernou-en-Sologne, France
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Expert Review: Les Hayes en Sologne
Les Hayes en Sologne, a Michelin Key Selected property nestled in Vernou-en-Sologne, France, offers guests a tranquil and luxurious escape within a stunning 180-hectare private estate. This 19th-century renovated château, reminiscent of a "Petit Cheverny," consistently receives high praise for its exceptional setting, diverse activities, and attentive service.
Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general consensus for Les Hayes en Sologne is overwhelmingly positive, with guests frequently describing their stays as "exceptional" and a "timeless moment". Review scores are notably high across various platforms, indicating a wonderful experience for most visitors. For example, ratings include 9.7 for location and cleanliness, 9.8 for comfort, and 9.5 for staff. While overall value for money is rated slightly lower at 8.9 and 8.8 on different platforms, the luxurious experience and array of included activities often justify the cost for many.
Key Highlights
Guests consistently rave about several aspects of Les Hayes en Sologne:
- Stunning Setting & Grounds: The vast 180-hectare estate, with its beautiful gardens, pond, and surrounding forest, is a major draw. Guests enjoy walking around the property and spotting wildlife like deer and hinds.
- Abundance of Activities: A significant highlight is the wide range of complimentary activities, including a seasonal outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, free bicycle hire, a games room with billiards and chess, forest laser games, evening bonfires, and astronomy nights.
- Design & Ambiance: The main house and other accommodations are described as tastefully decorated and impeccably maintained, offering a blend of classic charm and modern comfort. The common areas within the château are also noted for their pleasant and well-decorated ambiance.
- Family-Friendly Environment: The property is particularly well-suited for families, offering various activities for both adults and children, including a dedicated outdoor play area.
Room Quality
Les Hayes en Sologne features 19 individually designed rooms and suites, split between the historic château and "La Solognote," a building in the traditional regional style. Rooms are praised for their comfort and thoughtful design. Guests frequently mention comfortable beds and a quiet atmosphere, often highlighting views of the park or pond. Descriptions of rooms include:
- Château Rooms: Offering a "Vie de Chateau" experience, with some deluxe rooms boasting ample space, a double aspect, and garden views. "Cocoon rooms" offer intimate spaces with breathtaking views over the pond, some featuring soft beige hues or romantic touches like lace and leopard print.
- La Solognote Rooms: Deluxe rooms under the rafters with all-wood furnishings, soft natural colors, and unique windows providing views of the sky, nature, or the castle. All rooms typically include air conditioning, private bathrooms, a work desk, TV (with streaming service access), and free WiFi.
Dining Experience
The hotel offers a pleasant dining experience, though feedback on the restaurant can be mixed. The on-site restaurant, Le Cyprès, serves seasonal, local French cuisine from Wednesday to Sunday. On Mondays and Tuesdays, a simpler set menu of home-cooked dishes is served around a communal rustic table, fostering a sense of togetherness.
- Breakfast: A buffet breakfast is available, along with à la carte options, and is often enjoyed on the château patio. While some guests found the breakfast plentiful and nice, one recent comment suggested it could be "not too varied."
- Afternoon Tea ("Goûter"): A delightful French tradition, goûter, or teatime, is offered daily with homemade crêpes and cakes.
- Bar Service: The bar is open all day, from morning coffee to evening cocktails. Outdoor seating and picnic areas are also available.
Service & Staff
The staff at Les Hayes en Sologne consistently receive high marks for their hospitality, friendliness, and attentiveness. Guests have described the personnel as "super friendly and generous," "aux petits soins" (very attentive), and appreciative of the kindness and welcome from individuals like Louis and Manon. However, one recent review mentioned "personnel non formé et clairement manquant par rapport à" (untrained and clearly lacking staff), which the establishment acknowledged as not reflecting their standards and stated they would address.
Location & Accessibility
Les Hayes en Sologne is ideally situated in Fontaines-en-Sologne (though the prompt mentioned Vernou-en-Sologne, the property's address is in Fontaines-en-Sologne, which is part of the broader Vernou-en-Sologne area), at the heart of the Sologne forest, providing a serene and peaceful environment.
- Attractions: The hotel boasts an excellent location for exploring the famous Loire Valley castles. It is approximately 4 km (2.6 miles) from Château de Villesavin and 11 km (6.8 miles) from Château de Cheverny. Chambord is also easily accessible, being about 10-15 km away. The property offers free bicycles to help guests explore the region and its castles.
- Transport: Tours Val de Loire Airport is located approximately 77 km (48 miles) away. Free private parking is available on-site. The hotel is also noted as being about 2 hours from Paris, making it an accessible escape.
Value & Pricing
While the exact price can vary, rooms at Les Hayes en Sologne generally range from €120 to €250 for twin/double rooms and €160 to €350 for family rooms. A recent check indicated prices around €147 per night. Given its Michelin Key selection, the comprehensive range of included activities, the stunning estate, and the high level of service, many guests consider the experience to be well worth the cost, despite some rating "value for money" slightly lower than other categories. The inclusion of numerous activities in the room rate is seen as an added incentive.
Common Complaints
While overwhelmingly positive, some minor criticisms and recurring issues have been noted:
- Breakfast Variety: One recent comment mentioned the breakfast being "not too varied."
- Staffing/Service Consistency: A very recent review highlighted concerns about "unformed staff and clearly lacking" in comparison to expectations, suggesting an isolated instance or an area for improvement.
- Pricing Perception: Although many find the value acceptable, "value for money" scores are slightly lower than other categories, suggesting that some guests might find the pricing on the higher side.
- Pet Welfare: A concerning, albeit isolated, complaint mentioned the owner's dog being "maltreated" and "without shelter against bad weather, even at night." This is a serious accusation that would need further investigation for a definitive judgment but is worth noting as a guest complaint.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •While overwhelmingly positive, some minor criticisms and recurring issues have been noted:
Google Reviews
112 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
rob-DEV
Great location, pool, service and food cannot be faulted. The evening meal was fantastic both times we availed of it, as was the service. The afternoon treats are a great touch. Beautifully situated near Chambord, it was relatively quiet when we arrived. Little dog greeted us on arrival. Great communication both prior to and during the stay. Only nitpick was that the breakfast seemed a little expe...
Madison Malget
A unique experience to stay in a beautifully renovated castle. Would like to come back when the property is totally finished! Whole hotel was well designed, clean, luxurious and calming all at the same time. We had afternoon snacks and dinner on property and both were fabulous. Check in and check out process were easy and staff was nice and helpful. Breakfast and 4pm snack time treats were just ok...
Clement Escaffre
Simply amazing, beautiful place perfectly renovated inside a beautiful private piece of land and forest. The room, the service, the activities are all perfect, and every person working there is doing all they can to make your stay extra special. Thanks very much a special moment.
Response from the owner
Dear Mr Escaffre,<br><br>Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience at Les Hayes en Sologne. Your kind words mean the world to us!<br><br>We are absolutely delighted to hear that y...
Chris Durbin
A new hotel in a forest setting with a superb restaurant. The small chateau setting is ideal for a quiet 'en plein air' retreat. The birds were calling in the late evening sunshine. The stroll through the forest allowed for an early morning misty walk with the blossom providing heady scents. The room was historical yet with whimsical art. The rooms in the chateau had good views of the meadow an...
Lawrence Pluymers
3 nights @ eur 300/n leaving us with a sad / bitter experience. It started promising with an Instagram-friendly photogenic out- & indoor environment, tastefully decorated. Unfortunately most of the staff lacks professionalism and -when confronted with issues we reported- takes a defensive arrogant position. The rooms were clean upon arrival but after the first night the cleaning lady had only part...
MdA “M&L” MdA
Good renovation, great media advertisement and poor service/maintenance - how to feel trapped by Insta pictures and narrative - a € 300/ night very disappointing stay. A personal learning from a sad experience to be shared. Green flags: ~ the renovation is well designed and executed, an important investment made, contemporary and artistic highlights ~ good bedding and towels ~ outdoor cosy corner...
