Airelles Chateau de Versailles, Le Grand Controle

It has been a dream of mine to stay in Versaille at le Grande Controle since first hearing about it. Having been to Versailles twice before, in the 1960s when there was very little furniture but it wasn't crowded, and in the 1990s when it was very, very crowded, I really wanted to visit again and this seemed to be a unique way of experiencing it. It certainly lived up to my expectations. We were only able to afford one night but it was exceptional. The staff were lovely, so kind and helpful, from booking onwards as you are contacted about your itinerary and what you might like to do before you arrive. You can arrive in the morning (check in is afternoon) so you have more time to enjoy the experience. Guests are allocated their own butler, we had Thomas who looked after us beautifully and whom we much enjoyed conversing with. It is both a grand and an intimate experience, more like staying in a very well staffed private house than a hotel. It was our wedding anniversary and we found a delicious patisserie cake and greetings in our room. The interiors are beautifully restored and furnished and our room was delightful with lovely decor - more of a mini-suite really with an entrance vestibule, bedroom and luxurious shower room. I have never slept on such a comfortable bed, like being on a well supported cloud, and found that this was because the mattress and topper are produced to the hotel specification by a specialist French company (whom you can order from if you have the funds - I would if I could!). There was a whole larder of supplies in the vestibule - nibbles, chocolate, drinks, wine, cocktails as well as macarons in our room - there are macarons and such things all over the hotel so you won't go hungry! We didn't have dinner, which is a multi-course gourmet experience, but we did enjoy the food, light lunch, afternoon tea, light supper and a magnificent breakfast (including champagne). The weather was wonderful, warm and sunny more like June than March, and we had a great time touring the gardens of Versailles in a golf buggy and boating on the canal, organised for us by Thomas. It was warm enough for tea on the terrace. It's hard to single out any one thing from this wonderful experience but the tours of Versaille in the evening and the Grand Trianon the following morning were absolutely memorable. We were in a party of six guests, with a guide, and no one else there except for the Chateau staff member who accompanied each tour. Where you go depends on the day and we visited the King's state apartments and the chapel and the Grand Trianon. Other days include the Queen's apartments or the private apartments and the Petit Trianon. Each tour took about 2 hours, we had really knowledgeable guides who were most engaging and didn't mind being asked lots of questions (my husband is an architectural historian), we were not hurried along at all. The atmosphere in the evening was magical as the sun was going down over the canal and reflecting all round the hall of mirrors (it was designed for that), the chateau lights were gradually coming on (much like the candle light that would have been there in the 17th and 18th centuries) and it was possible to begin to really feel the history and the people who had lived and worked there. The visit to the Grand Trianon in the morning was also a great experience. We were sad to leave and really hope we might be able to return one day, but our thanks go to Thomas and the staff of the hotel and our guides for making our stay so wonderful and memorable.

This was part of a trip to celebrate our Silver Wedding Anniversary. We could not have made a better choice. The entire experience was wonderful. The quality of the decor, the service of the staff (particularly our butler Thomas), and the food, were all absolutely exceptional. We requested adaptations to the Royal Feast as we prefer to eat plant based meals - the chefs created some amazing taste experiences - this was not the “tasting menu with the meat and fish removed” which is so disappointingly prevalent in so many restaurants (including sadly some with Michelin stars). It is obviously not cheap, but if you can afford it as a special treat, do not hesitate, particularly if you have an interest in French history. The private tours were both of extremely high quality, and we were privileged to be able to visit Versailles in this manner.

This was a hugely memorable stay in a wonderful hotel. The hotel is adjacent to the Palace of Versailles and captures well the decadence and history of the location. The rooms carry the names of famous historical figures who would have stayed in the venue and the decor is magnificent. Our room was well sized with separate toilet, bathroom, changing area and bedroom. Included in our stay was a golf buggy for use to explore the magnificent Versailles gardens and private tours of the King’s Chambers in the Palace and Queen’s Hamlet in the grounds. It was such a privilege to visit the venues without crowds of other visitors. Afternoon tea, breakfast and the entirety of the well stocked mini bar and snack area were also included in the price. Service was next level - we were given a photo and pastries to commemorate me running the marathon the day before and returned from a morning run to find detox smoothies in our room. We were also treated to a ‘royal’ wake up in the style of Marie Antoinette. There is a spa and fitness centre within the hotel, although we did not use them. An unforgettable experience.

First a shout out to our butler Charles for making my family’s experience a wonderful one. A stay at this hotel is a once in a lifetime experience. This hotel adjoins the palace of Versailles and used to be the abode of the finance minister. The private tours alone make a stay at the hotel worthwhile. It is a dream to be able to visit the hall of mirrors without throngs of visitors. Even though the clientele seems to be mostly couples, the hotel bent over backwards to cater to my young children. The tours can be tiring for children, but my six and eight year old enjoyed the golf carts in the gardens, the row boats and picnic by the grand canal. The older one loved horse back riding while my six year old had fun at the beautiful indoor pool with toys the hotel gave her. The children loved the doll house and stuffed animals in their rooms. The hotel itself is beautiful. The stay was idyllic. If you can swing it visit it. Only caveat, don’t do the royal feast if you have time to visit other restaurants around. Not that it’s bad, there are just better food. The hotel is not immediately kid intuitive, like beautiful glass ware is breakable and kids don’t need a tasting menu. However small things like this were easily modified. This is a once in a life time experience highly recommend

I would’ve loved ending my trip in Versailles instead of Paris! The stay was beyond amazing; I would rate it 100/10! After that, we visited the Mandarin Oriental, and let me tell you, the service was outstanding there but it was no airelles ! The beds, pillows, and views were simply breathtaking. Sleeping was like sleeping on cloud 9. The concierge letiesha took care of planning our itinerary, so I didn't have to worry about a thing! From the tours to the dinners, everything was perfect. And every night, we were surprised with a special gift on our bed from pajamas to special treats and tea! Even our departure was handled with such care! Letiesha was amazing. Let me tell you, this was luxury at its finest... I usually could find at least one thing off... But not this time... This is for my girls: when doing the palace tour, wear comfortable shoes...!