Recommended hotels and apartments in Amboise (Loire Valley)

A 13th-century château with two heavy towers, perched on a slope above the Loire in the village of Chargé, three kilometres upstream from Château de Amboise . Nineteen rooms only, a five-hectare park with a vegetable garden and geometric gardens, and a heated pool. The restaurant L'Orangerie is partly carved into the rock and has won a Michelin star under chef Arnaud Philippon. However, it is open from Wednesday evening to Sunday lunchtime, so those arriving early in the week will have to travel into town for dinner. I recommend booking a room in the main château rather than in the guest houses on the grounds, as the whole point here is to wake up within the ancient walls.

A 1701 chateau in Nazelles-Négron, four kilometers from the historic center, set in a wooded park that extends to the riverbank. The rooms face south and combine antique furniture with contemporary design. There is a heated pool in season, and there is a canoe for rent for those who want to paddle a little before breakfast. The meal itself is entirely French, with homemade jam and honey from the property's beehives, and on some evenings a chef's dinner is served on a single menu that requires advance booking. However, reception is not open at all hours of the day and arrival times must be coordinated, so this is not the property for those planning to arrive at night. Those who like the format will find other castles that have been converted into hotels in the valley.

A small sixteen-room castle in Saint-Règle, a ten-minute drive from the center, with a park where horses and reindeer roam and a large pool overlooking the lawn. Inside, there is a library, a pool table and bicycles to borrow, and the breakfast is considered one of the best in the area. It is a particularly convenient base for castle tours, including Chenonceau, which is a fifteen-minute drive away. However, there is no restaurant here except for breakfast, so for dinner you have to go into town, and some of the furniture is no longer at its freshest. I recommend the castle to those arriving by car and looking for complete peace at the end of the day, and less to those who want to walk to a bar.

A 12th-century mansion on Mail Saint Thomas Street, a five-minute walk from the royal castle. Only ten rooms, each decorated differently, all air-conditioned, and at the back a walled garden with a heated pool that you wouldn't guess existed from the street. Parking is on the property and free, which is a rare asset in a city where parking is a real headache in the summer. However, it is a historic building and it behaves like a historic building: the floors creak, and sometimes there is a slight smell of damp. Ten rooms also sell out quickly, so I recommend booking months in advance for spring and late August, and if possible, ask for a room facing the garden.

A 17th-century manor house on Rue Rabelais, in the historic center, with a well-kept garden of about three thousand meters, an outdoor pool, a sauna and a restaurant that serves on a terrace in front of the ancient trees. Twenty rooms, two of which are suites, and the main building has an elevator, which is not a given in houses of this age. This is the property I recommend for those who want a single base for the castles in the valley route and do not want to spend the morning looking for parking. However, breakfast is a separate fee and is not cheap, and the entrance to the parking lot from the road is narrow and requires maneuvering. It is worth asking for a room on the garden side rather than the street side.

An 18th-century timber-framed house on the same Rue de Raval, which used to be a bank, a school and a notary's office until it was converted into a boutique hotel. Ten rooms, a small spa with a jacuzzi and sauna, a walled garden with a heated pool, and from the upper rooms you can see the royal castle from the window. There is an elevator, which is not a given in a building of this age, and a real consideration for those arriving with heavy luggage. However, breakfast is relatively expensive, and the ancient floors convey steps from the floor above, so I recommend that light sleepers ask for the upper floor or a room facing the garden. (The pool is small, but after a full day at the castles it's just what you need.)

A 1703 hotel particular on Rue d'Orange, a five-minute walk from the château. The building was converted into a hotel in 2004, with rooms featuring antique clawfoot tubs and a mix of modern and antique furniture, and a balcony overlooking the royal château. There is free private parking and an electric car charging station, and a few self-contained rooms on the ground floor, convenient for those with difficulty with stairs. However, the wardrobes are small, and those staying for a week will find themselves with limited hanging space. I recommend asking for the room with the private balcony, as the difference in price is small compared to the difference in experience.

A mansion on Avenue Léonard de Vinci, right between the royal castle and Clos Lousse, in a private park with a seasonally heated pool. Gaël and Bruno run the place themselves, and in addition to the rooms in the mansion, there are units in the renovated stables with a kitchenette, and wooden cabins in the park with a private jacuzzi and sauna. Entrance is for adults only, so this is not an option for families with children. Breakfast comes as a basket for the room, bread, croissant and jam, and those expecting a full buffet will be disappointed. I recommend the cabin in the park for couples who come for two nights and do not plan to leave early in the morning.

An inn built around 1750 and formerly called Le Sabot d'Or, on the pilgrims' route to Santiago de Compostela, on the north bank of the Loire and opposite the royal castle. Christophe, the manager, receives guests himself, the breakfast is modest and comes with fresh croissants and baguettes, and there is covered parking on the property, a rarity in the center of Amboise. However, the ceilings are sloping in some of the rooms, and in some of them the toilets are located under the slope, so it is worth asking about the room before booking. The walk to the center takes about fifteen minutes and passes over both bridges, and in my opinion it is the most beautiful route in the city, especially at sunset.

A 15th-century house on Place Richelieu, a four-minute walk from the royal castle, with twenty-eight rooms and a 24-hour reception. Breakfast is continental and comes with homemade bread and pastries, and the price here is one of the most affordable in the city. However, the rooms are small, there is no elevator, and air conditioning is only available on some floors, so anyone coming in August should check exactly what they are booking. I recommend the hotel to anyone who prefers to spend their money on Amboise's restaurants rather than on their room, and in this city, that is a decision I understand very well.

A comfortable and practical hotel on Avenue Émile Gounin, about a kilometer and a half from the castle, in a quiet residential neighborhood. There is an elevator, free private parking, and a buffet breakfast that receives particularly high marks for its category. This is the right base for those arriving by car and planning to head off in a different direction every morning, for example to Blois , which is half an hour away. However, the walk into town goes down a slope and the return from there goes up, and after a whole day on your feet, it is noticeable. On the top floor there are rooms with sloping ceilings, so those who are sensitive to space should ask for a room on the lower floors.

A sixty-five-meter apartment in the center of Amboise, two bedrooms and a living room, four hundred meters from the royal castle that can be seen from the window (and at night it is lit up, and it is a sight you never tire of). The kitchen is fully equipped, there is air conditioning, a washing machine and free parking, so a family can settle here for a week and get into the car only for trips. However, there is a washing machine but no dryer, and anyone planning to do laundry should pack a small clothesline. The train station is about a thirteen-minute walk away, so you can get here from Paris without a car at all and get by just fine on foot.

An independent apartment on the grounds of a family home in the center of Amboise, behind an iron gate, with parking inside the lot and a shared garden with a table, deck chairs, and a ping-pong table. Caroline, the host, leaves towels, sheets, and dishwasher tablets, and provides guests with bicycles free of charge, making it a five-minute ride to the Loire cycle path. The apartment is compact, and four people will feel it, so I recommend it mainly for a couple with one or two small children rather than four adults. The quiet here, right in the heart of the city, is the real surprise.

A small studio on Rue de Blois, on the north bank of the Loire, with a direct view of the royal castle across the river. There is a fully equipped kitchenette, a flower-lined patio for al fresco dining, and free parking on the private road in front of the house. The host, Suazik, lives on the property, speaks several languages, and is happy to provide maps and local recommendations, and there is a bakery and butcher's shop just across the road. However, it is a compact studio with a lot of furniture, and a couple arriving with two large suitcases will feel cramped. I recommend it for couples staying three nights or more and planning to cook at least once.