Chateau les Merles ★★★★

Pulling into the pebbled courtyard of the Chateau Les Merles, the hotel’s imposing neoclassical facade glowing a honeyed pink in the setting sun, I fell in love pretty quickly. We were welcomed personally by the affable owner, Jan Van Grinsven, who set the bar high for the quality of service at this family-run boutique hotel.

The Chateau Les Merles is the kind of eighteenth-century chateau I could see myself retiring to, when suffering the daily grind gets too much. Its charming, rustic stone exterior gives way to an avant-garde interior: the rooms are simple but sumptuous, with black parquet and contemporary accents, the odd splash of colour like the bright pink, rococo-style armchair, or the small dish of rich, dark berries from the hotel’s organic vegetable garden. A largely monochrome palette is brightened by vast windows and our bathroom is a wonderful contrast between elaborate marble fittings and the original character of exposed beams and rustic red-brick walls. Tucked away in the eaves, our room was intimate, cosy, and homely.

We had come for a relaxing getaway, and we couldn’t have picked a better bucolic paradise. We enjoyed a deep slumber until we were aroused by a cacophony of birdsong as the sun began to warm the flagstone poolside the next morning. With just fifteen rooms, the hotel retains an exclusive, intimate air, and with over seventy hectares of parkland surrounding the hotel, it is effortlessly peaceful. The only sounds are the lapping of the swimming pool rippled by a gentle breeze, and the occasional triumphant cheer of a victorious putter on the hotel’s exclusive nine-hole course.

Not just a beautiful setting, the surrounding parkland is home to the estate’s wellness centre and tennis court, as well as the challenging golf course and driving range. He enjoyed a round on the course, while I decided it was time to unwind with a stiff drink by the time I reached Par on the fifth hole. Fortunately, the lounge on the courtyard was the perfect spot. Once his taunting had stopped, it was time for dinner: the real reason we had chosen Les Merles for our luxurious decampment.

Housed in the converted barn, the calm, sophisticated decor of the restaurant only emphasises the excellence of Chef Bas Holten’s menu. Focused on rich local produce, with many of the vegetables coming from the estate’s organic kitchen garden, the menu boasts classic dishes as well as more adventurous offerings. We were attended to by yet another charming, personable waiter, who delighted in educating us about our expertly presented dishes: we hardly appreciated the contemporary paintings adorning the walls when the real art was on the plate in front of us.

At Chateau Les Merles ****, with activities to satisfy the whole family, a spectacular natural setting, beautiful design and exquisite food, guests really have it all.