Domaine de Barive

An 18th-century castle in the Champagne region is a promising beginning for a luxury-hotel proposition; the Domaine de Barive, with its expansive gardens and grounds and its imposing and elegant stone structures, is more than capable of making good on this promise. With a mere 21 rooms and suites it’s rather on the intimate side as lodgings go — but, as is typical of château hotels, there’s rather more to it than just the bedrooms.

For their part, though, the rooms and suites are fine ones, ranging from the cozy Classic rooms up under the eaves to the truly spectacular Royal Suite; all are comfortable, to say the least, and are decorated in a pleasing blend of antique elegance and contemporary cool. The bathrooms, in particular, tend toward the lavish, and are modern as can be.

There’s also room here for a proper spa, complete with a pool, a gym, and a sauna, as well as a balneotherapy bath with space for two. And ranking highly among the Domaine’s attractions is the gastronomic restaurant, Franck Dumoulin’s Les Épicuriens, where apéritifs are served in the lounge or on the terrace, and whose dining room looks out over the estate’s park.