Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa

The location is a little off the beaten path, which was perfect. The hotel is beautiful and the staff is professional, friendly and helpful. The included breakfast buffet was a very nice way to start the day. The location is convenient to get to Hautevillers, Epernay and Reims.

I will preface this review by saying we booked the hotel after American Express recommended it as a high service hotel near Reims. Unfortunately we were misled. This is a destination spa hotel best suited for couples with their own car who aren’t planning on drinking… in Champagne. It’s a destination hotel in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps this hotel was off its game as we arrived New Year’s Day, but I think it’s fair to say they struggled. The hotel is extremely impressive on driving in, but it’s a 70 euro taxi fare with few return options to Reims - you’ll need to keep the original taxi’s number if you want to have any really chance of getting back. Several of these transfers (to the champagne houses, to dinner etc) adds up and you are probably spending 200 euros a night more to be in the deep countryside. It’s a destination hotel far from the centres and certainly not suitable for those with international itineraries. The hotel is clean and quite new, with willing service and good responsiveness both in person and to email. We had to wait in the restaurant after a promised 12 noon check in was not possible “because it was New Year’s Day and we don’t know when current guests will leave” leaving us a compulsory lunch bill from the underwhelming second restaurant of the property, La Bellevue. Mains range from 45 odd euros to 85, taking advantage, in my view, of the isolation. Breakfast at the same restaurant was poor and requests for the offered a la carte options were rebuffed with a “find it on the buffet” from the servers, even when (for example the dairy free breakfast) was not on the buffet. Once checked in we went to the spa, a well fitted out, high ceilinged 25 m pool at a nice temperature and views of the countryside. Jacuzzis were quite open and not cozy at all. There was a sauna and steam room in side areas next to the change rooms. I did not see anyone using them. Massages and treatments were ski resort prices and we didn’t try them. On the first night we went elsewhere for dinner leaving the teenagers to get room service (my daughter ordered a plate of nothing but smoked salmon as she didn’t want the unhealthy pizza or burgers). They soon rang us very concerned as the wing of the hotel lost all power, including hot water. I guess an understandable risk in an isolated hotel and it was resolved by the next morning and an apology given, but the hot water wasn’t returned until the next evening and we elected to spend the next day unwashed. Unfortunately, despite several re-confirmations, and possibly due to our poor French and some poor English from the staff, the long transfer to Reims station was booked by the front desk at the time the train was due to leave, 45 minutes away in Reims. The mistake led to many hours on the phone, rebooking a Eurostar ticket twice and needing to get a private car all the way to Paris. The hotel is quality for what it is designed for - a destination, relaxing retreat for European couples on a drivi

We've been at Royal Champagne, between 24-27 of August. I cannot find words to describe the location. Extremely clean, modern, new. The service and the staff very attentive, and I'm not easy to please. The Notes restaurant, also very good. The other one not so good, but not bad. Highly recommend it!