Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa

Character and identity

Perched on a hilltop above the Marne Valley on the edge of Épernay, this 47-room retreat occupies a former 19th-century coaching inn radically reimagined by architect Giovanni Pace in cream concrete, blond wood and glass. Every room opens to vineyard views. The cooking comes from Christophe Raoux, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, split between gastronomic Le Royal (one nightly seating for 40) and the lighter à la carte Le Bellevue, with the Abysse bar pouring five rotating champagnes by the glass from a cellar of 400 champagnes and 1,000 wines. The 16,000-square-foot spa, indoor and outdoor infinity pools included, is the region's most serious. Service is warm and polished.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The reason to come is the wine programme: a by-the-glass list that changes monthly, a 1,400-bottle cellar, and ownership of biodynamic Leclerc Briant ten minutes down the road. Book a Royal Room over a standard suite (the freestanding tub looks straight onto the vines), and aim for late spring through early autumn when the outdoor infinity pool is open.