Auberge du Bon Laboureur
#5 in Loire Valley, 4.6/5 across 1,205 Tripadvisor reviews
The hotel
The building began as a coaching inn on the village street of Chenonceaux and it has been an inn ever since, which is a rarer thing in the Loire than the marketing of the region would suggest. It is now five-star, and it is not one building but five: stone village houses around gardens and courtyards, holding 18 rooms and 9 suites on the hotel's own count. Older listings still print 29 rooms. The practical consequence of the arithmetic is the same either way: no two rooms here read alike, so the room you are given matters more than the hotel you booked.
The address is the draw. The Chateau de Chenonceau, the arched chateau that steps across the River Cher, sits a few minutes' walk from the door. You can be at the gates when it opens, ahead of the coaches out of Tours and Amboise, and be back before the terrace fills for lunch. That single fact is worth more than most spa menus.
Dining is the second reason to book, provided you understand what you are booking. The restaurant, led by chef-proprietor Antoine Jeudi, cooks seasonal Loire produce, some of it out of the hotel's own vegetable garden and farm, and it is listed in the MICHELIN Guide. Listed, not starred. If a star is the reason for the trip, the trip is elsewhere. What is here besides is a lounge bar, a heated outdoor pool, a small well-being area with a massage room, a grocery of local products, a private car park with a covered garage and an electric charging point.
The numbers behind our placement: 4.6 out of 5 across 1,205 Tripadvisor reviews, ranked first of the five hotels in Chenonceaux, with a Travellers' Choice award. We convert that verified guest rating to an HFK score of 9.2/10 by doubling it, a method you can check in a second, and it lands at #5 among the Loire Valley hotels we track.
Anniversary
The case for an anniversary here is the dinner and the walk, in that order. Ask for a garden-facing room in one of the quieter houses, away from the street, book the gastronomic menu for the same evening, and take the chateau at the end of the afternoon when the light is low and the coaches have gone. At this size, and with the owner in the kitchen, the staff tend to know why you came.
Honeymoon
For a honeymoon this is the soft-landing Loire base: a heated outdoor pool and a massage room for slow mornings, a serious kitchen for the evenings, and the chateaux within an easy drive. It is a village inn rather than a resort, so a week here needs an itinerary. Two or three nights, and a car, is the right shape.
Honest trade-offs
- The restaurant is in the MICHELIN Guide but does not hold a star, and it never has while the current chef has been cooking. Set expectations to excellent regional cooking, not to a pilgrimage.
- Chenonceaux is a very small village. Beyond the chateau and the hotel, you will want a car for everything, including dinner alternatives.
- Rooms sit across five separate houses and vary widely in size, outlook and street noise. Ask which house and which floor when you book rather than assuming; this is the single biggest determinant of whether you love the stay.
- The well-being area is a massage room and a pool, not a spa in the resort sense. Do not book this hotel for treatments.
- We have not audited every room category on site. Confirm the room, the rate and the restaurant's opening days before you commit.
Practical information
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Auberge du Bon Laboureur still open?
Yes. It is an operating five-star hotel in Chenonceaux, a former coaching inn on the village street, with a gourmet restaurant, a lounge bar, a heated outdoor pool and a well-being area. It is ranked first of the five hotels in Chenonceaux on Tripadvisor and carries a Travellers' Choice award.
How many rooms does Auberge du Bon Laboureur have?
Eighteen rooms and nine suites on the hotel's own count, spread across five village houses of stone, which is why the rooms differ so much in size and outlook. Older listings still say 29 rooms. Ask which house and which floor you are being given before you accept a rate.
Does the restaurant have a Michelin star?
No. The restaurant, led by chef-proprietor Antoine Jeudi, is listed in the MICHELIN Guide but does not hold a star. The cooking is seasonal and Loire-rooted, and the hotel grows part of what it serves in its own vegetable garden and farm. If a star is the reason for the journey, this is not the address.
How close is it to the Château de Chenonceau?
A few minutes on foot, at the end of the village street, which is the single strongest argument for staying here. You can be at the gates when the château opens, ahead of the coach tours from Tours and Amboise, and be back for breakfast.
How is it rated by guests?
It holds 4.6 out of 5 across 1,205 Tripadvisor reviews and is ranked first of the five hotels in Chenonceaux. We convert that verified guest rating to an HFK score of 9.2/10, which places it fifth among the Loire Valley hotels we track.
Do you need a car to stay here?
For the château itself, no. For the rest of the Loire, yes: Chenonceaux is a small village and the other châteaux, the Beauval zoo and the vineyards are all a drive away. The hotel has a private car park, a covered garage and an electric-vehicle charging point.
What is Auberge du Bon Laboureur best for?
Anniversaries, honeymoons and château touring at an unhurried pace. It is a village inn rather than a resort, so it suits travellers who want a well-run base, a good dinner and a garden to read in, and who will fill the days with drives rather than facilities.