Airelles Château de Versailles, le Grand Contrôle

This was one of the most special experiences we've ever had at a hotel. It's really not just a hotel (but it is an exquisite one), but a historic property with unparalleled exclusive access to the Chateau and the gardens, with private tours before and after regular hours so you can experience and learn about the history without ANY crowds. The team went above and beyond, particularly Dominque, Huge and Quentin. It's a bucket-list splurge type hotel but it was worth it.

Truly unique and a real destination property. We booked originally for the after hour access to the palace but the government had an event which blocked all access. Hotel did arrange a library tour which was nice though a tad long. The dinner was part theater that didn’t take itself too seriously so was a nice experience different than most fancy Michelin meals. The morning tour was amazing though to see the private residences of the king without any crowd. The afternoon picnic was the best picnic experience ever Afternoon tea was presented more plainly but was the best tasting one I ever had. The room itself was tastefully done and had tons of amenities including free minibar with quality drinks. The butler service was helpful. There is even a library study with free cognac that was also beautiful. I would come back next time in Paris

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 c