Bev Fearis spends a night at the Novotel Amboise.
Location: France is full of Novotels and this one is on the edge of the pretty town of Amboise in the Loire Valley. Like many towns in the Loire, the town has a famous chateau – this time the 15th-century Chateau d’Amboise, the residence of King Charles VIII and home of the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci. You can enjoy panoramic views of the chateau ramparts from the hotel.
First impressions: Surprisingly contemporary looking for a hotel built in the 1980s, there’s a large four-storey building housing the bedrooms and a roadside motel-style extension with a covered entrance way dominated by the big unmistakable neon Novotel sign. The no-nonsense lobby leads to the business like bar and through to the split-level restaurant, which is where you get more of a wow factor. Window to ceiling glass looks out over the hotel’s large swimming pool, neatly landscaped gardens, mini golf and to the chateau beyond and gives the hotel more of a holiday feel. Back in the lobby, there’s also a nod to families with a children’s play area, with Xbox and a pool table.
Bedrooms: The bedrooms have everything you’d expect from a Novotel – comfortable beds with crisp white linen, smart pillows, flatscreen TVs, minibars – in the usual shades of beige and cream and with scatter cushions adding a splash of colour. They’re well designed, comfortable, and functional, but you wouldn’t bother taking a picture for your holiday album.
Wining and dining: It was so quiet the night we stayed (out of season) we didn’t fancy dining alone in the enormous restaurant so we ventured into the old town, where we spent nearly an hour trying to decide which of the many restaurants to dine in, most of them in medieval buildings in the cobbled streets around the chateau and all offering the usual set three-course menus and wonderfully cheap wine.
Leisure time: As well as the large outdoor pool and the mini-golf, the hotel has two tennis courts and you can also hire bikes and go off exploring. Being on the edge of the town, you’re quickly into quiet country roads. For families, the hotel is also just five minutes’ drive from Touraine aquarium and 20 minutes from Beauval zoo.
Highs: You can’t fail to get a good night’s sleep in a Novotel bed and the view from the restaurant is a good way to start any day.
Lows: Although it’s nice to see the chateau from afar, the hotel’s location means that you can’t just stumble home after a night out in the old town.
Verdict: Works well for business people but also a good base to explore the Loire region, with or without the children.
