DeSalvio Travel Review of Virtuoso Hotel Auberge de Jeu de Paume. Chantilly, France

Auberge du Jeu de Paume: A Quiet Stay Beside the Château de Chantilly

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Arriving in Chantilly

Marie Luce, the Director of Sales, picked us up personally from the train station, which is only about 25 minutes from central Paris, and this arrival already gives you a sense of why Chantilly works so well as an escape from the city. First comes the château, then the famous stables beside the hotel, with the port just across the road.

There is a small private Hotel area where cars can pull up directly in front of the hotel, so arriving with luggage is easy. Inside, the welcome was warm and the concierge team immediately made the hotel feel personal.

Marie Luce told us the old local saying is “10,000 people, 10,000 horses.” Chantilly has the largest stables in Europe, and the hotel makes good use of that connection. There are little, fun, references to horses throughout the lobby-design without turning the place into a theme hotel.

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Entering Chantilly and the Archway to the hotel

French Tradition, Done Properly

We expected something a little more modern before arriving. Instead, the Auberge du Jeu de Paume is beautiful, traditionally French, but with all the comforts of a modern luxury hotel. “The idea is to make guests feel as though they are staying in the château itself”, was something that Marie Luce told us.

The design follows that idea closely. Copies of paintings from the château appear throughout the hotel, while the Toile de Jouy references the French interiors associated with Marie Antoinette. The furniture and upholstery were particularly beautiful, and everything we saw was in pristine condition.

The entry-level room was 25 square metres, yet it felt considerably larger. The space had been planned extremely well, with comfortable seating in front of the bed and a beautiful double mirror in the bathroom. The rear-facing rooms have views toward the château gardens and pond, while the front gives a wonderful sense of the French character of the town.

The suites at the back are particularly appealing. They add considerable space and private balconies that make them feel almost like your own little house, or perhaps your own little château.

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One of the Rooms at Auberge Jeu de Paume

The Part That Made Us Stay

What surprised us most was how much we wanted to linger. Usually, when we inspect a hotel, we are already thinking about what to see next. Here, after lunch, we would have happily stayed longer with a book before strolling through the gardens and eventually making our way toward the museum.

Lunch was one of the highlights. The chef works with local produce at a very high level, with French cuisine that felt balanced rather than heavy. A broccoli foam with goat cheese was one of those dishes that immediately stopped the conversation and during the main there was a silence from everyone at the table, indulging in the magic that was presented to us by the waiter. The wine suggestions alongside individual dishes were another lovely detail.

Of course, we had Chantilly cream with coffee before heading toward the château. We couldn’t leave Chantilly without trying this world-famous cream.

The service was equally memorable. The staff were beautifully presented, observant and genuinely hospitable. They noticed small things before we needed to ask. Our only minor mishap was a misunderstanding over my Pastis, when water was poured into it. I stopped it in time, and the waitress immediately apologised.

The beautiful restaurant before lunch-service

Who We Would Send Here

The Auberge du Jeu de Paume is particularly well suited to slow travellers, art lovers and clients who prefer quiet luxury to a busy city atmosphere. Chantilly feels more like a town than Paris, and that is precisely the point. There is peace here, while the château and Musée Condé provide an extraordinary cultural experience.

The property is also remarkably convenient for travellers using CDG-airport. It is around 25 minutes by car from the airport. For a client arriving after a long flight, or needing somewhere comfortable before flying home, this makes far more sense to us than an expensive airport hotel, in our opinion.

For most clients, we would suggest two or three nights. The château, the gardens, the art and the surrounding countryside can easily fill that time. There are also five golf courses nearby.

The Auberge du Jeu de Paume is a Relais & Châteaux property and, according to the hotel, the largest in France. Yet it never felt like a large hotel. That intimate feeling was perhaps what stayed with us most. Michelin recently rewarded the hotel with a Michelin key showing a high standard of excellence. Its neighbour, the Musee Condé received three michelin stars for its uniqueness and meaning it's worth the unique visit!

The view from the balcony on the gardens of the Chateau

Our Relationship with Auberge du Jeu de Paume

We have really enjoyed building our relationship with Auberge du Jeu de Paume and Marie Luce, their Director of Sales and we thank her for her wonderful hospitality. It is exactly the kind of personal partnership we value when recommending a hotel. Through our Virtuoso relationship, our clients also receive daily breakfast, a $100 USD equivalent food and beverage credit, room upgrades when available, plus tickets to Château de Chantilly at the hotel. Those little extras can make a wonderful stay even better.

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