You’ve had champagne at check-in before. But if you’re an enthusiastic lover of bubbles, it’s time to put the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, an elegant hotel in France’s historic Champagne province, on your 2022 must-visit list.
The hotel keeps a commanding watch over the rolling vineyards in the village of Champillon, which is a pilgrimage-worthy birthplace of bubbles. (The hotel is about 1 1/2 hours from the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris).
The luxury wellness destination has more than 400 different champagnes you can taste (and even more wines, including rare and exclusive varietals from small-batch vignerons).
With champagne on the brain ahead of New Year’s, here’s a peek inside the hotel, which hits high notes with Michelin-starred dining, an expansive spa, and, of course, lots of bubbles and exclusive experiences. (Think: private plane rides over the champagne vineyards and horseback riding through Montagne de Reims).
A former coaching inn where Napoleon once stopped on his return from the battlefields, the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa is now a modern design masterpiece.
The property was reimagined by Reims-based architect Giovanni Pace, who also designed a winemaking center in Oiry, France for Moët et Chandon.
Look for subtle nods to champagne in the design details throughout the hotel, like splashes of soft golds in the suites and glittery gold in the spa, as well as the thoughtful cluster of global pendants that look like they were inspired by effervescent bubbles.
The pool is sleek and modern, with large floor-to-ceiling windows providing a front-row seat to the rolling vineyards sprawled out in front of the hotel.
Rooms at the 47-suite hotel come with Hermès bath products and thoughtful design, like custom-made sinks crafted with travertine, an elegant local stone. The suites also have patios or balconies, which are the perfect place to take in views of the picturesque vineyards while sipping a glass of champagne.
The junior suites are 475 square feet. The most luxurious stay, though, is the 1,184 square-foot Josephine Suite that comes with panoramic windows framing Marne Valley.
Carve out a day to relax in the hotel’s 16,000-square-foot spa and wellness center, which uses French skin-care lines Biologique Recherche and KOS Paris in its facials and body treatments. On the spa menu are custom-made facials and signature massages, like a candle massage. There’s also a yoga studi, sauna and hammam.
Guests at the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa can sample champagnes plus rare varietals, supporting small-batch local wine growers through the “Champagne Crafters” project. These winegrowers produce on a small-scale—just 50 to 1,500 bottles per cuvée.
The hotel also has an exclusive “Champagne Concierge” who can help guests sample different varieties, curate Champagne getaways, arrange for visits to the region’s top Champagne houses that aren’t open to the public and set up one-of-a-kind adventures. Some of the most sought-after experiences include hot air balloon rides that give guests a birds-eye view of the vineyard-laced hills and cooking alongside the property’s Michelin-starred Chef Denis Rieubland while enjoying champagne pairings.
