How do you explain a castle? I would go about it like this: you take a beautiful building, add a…read morelush park, wonderful service and furniture and anyone will feel royal. This is what Château de Rilly does to me.
The staff is the real star here. From the moment we stepped inside each and every staff member did their all in making us feel welcomed and taken care of. They helped us with dinner and winery reservations, recommended bars in Reims and set us up for the bike tour we did on our own. They were friendly and relaxed making us feel very special.
The room was on the smaller side when compared to American standard but average size in European measures. The large bathroom containing both a tub and a shower made up for the smallish room as we were two female friends traveling together and we all know women like their sink and counter space! The rooms feel somewhat newly renovated but still manage to display old charm with some antique pieces and old style design. I do believe there are larger rooms on the 1st floor so make sure to ask when you make your reservation.
Breakfast was not included in the room charge and you could choose from continental or full breakfast (18 EUR) with a wonderful spread of bread, pastries, home made jams, scrambled eggs, sausages, ham, cheese, fresh juice, locally made yoghurt, pancakes and coffee and tea. All served in the beautiful dining room lined with large windows overlooking the grounds. We tried sitting outside the first morning but noticed quickly that the wasps were very keen on our food so we had to go inside. Unfortunately we never had dinner here but we did enjoy some cheese, smoked salmon, salad and a local blanc de blancs the night we arrived. All was exquisite!
There is a jacuzzi and sauna in the basement for everyone's enjoyment. I would have loved an outdoor pool but you cannot have everything I guess.
Accommodations are not super cheap but it does not break the bank either making it a perfect luxury vacation getaway.
This is a super strong 4-star. I applaud Chateau de Rilly for the outstanding service contributing to our fantastic experience and I will be returning for sure!