Château Grand Barrail is located on a vineyard in Saint-Émilion, the epicenter of the Bordeaux wine region, the world’s most famous wine region. Chateau Grand Barrail’s location is the best of both worlds: a quiet, peaceful vineyard setting just minutes from the action of Saint-Émilion. The location set the stage for a majestic weekend exploring French wine country.

Chateau Grand Barrail is a part of the esteemed Small Luxury Hotels of the World. With just 46 rooms, the magnificent and monolithic castle manages to capture the romance of the region with the intimacy of a small, boutique hotel. It has expertly manicured gardens, a beautiful pool, a world-class restaurant, and five-star service.

The 5-star hotel effortlessly exudes authenticity and originality while mixing in modicums of modern accouterments such as a swimming pool and spa. Château Grand Barrail was the perfect place to call home during our enchanted vacation in Bordeaux wine country.

We stayed in a beautiful room in the castle that overlooked the vineyards of Saint-Émilion. It had a deluxe, king-size bed, a terrace, desk, and bathtub. It was beautifully decorated and in the perfect location in the château.

The Chateau Grand Barrail has its own fine dining restaurant named La Table du Grand Barrail. Located in the heart of the hotel, it has a terrace that faces the magnificent vineyards. If the perfect view of French wine country wasn’t enough, the interior of the restaurant is expertly decorated with stunning stained glass windows and a ceramic fresco.

We had the opportunity to dine at La Table du Grand Barrail on our last evening in Saint-Émilion. There is a five-course dinner, three-course dinner, or à la carte dining option. We chose an à la carte dining option with a wine pairing. We started the dinner off with champagne (as you do in France) and a lovely amuse bouche. We continued on to a delicious first course of seared tuna with foie gras paired with a crisp white wine. We then concluded our meal with two separate plates: a succulent beef dish paired with a Château Fonroque Grand Cru Classé wine for Scott and a sea bass paired with a perfect Pomerol for Collette. It was an absolutely decadent dinner that elegantly showcased the seasonal cuisine of the region.

Chateau Grand Barrail is not only the most beautiful estate in Saint-Émilion, but it also owns its own Grand Cru Classé winery (in our next lives, we want this to be us!) We had the opportunity to visit Château Fonroque during the harvest and watch the entire process from picking the grapes, to sorting the grapes, and onto the crushing and pressing of the grapes. We then had the opportunity to enjoy a Grand Cru Classé wine tasting on the estate. Château Grand Barrail organized this unique opportunity for us, but it’s available to non-guests as well, as long as you have an appointment.

Château Grand Barrail’s main allure is its opulence mixed with its divine location in the vineyards of Saint-Émilion. There are lovely amenities to enjoy at the Château, including a fine dining restaurant and bar, an outdoor pool, charming gym, and splendid spa. After a day of wine tasting, enjoy a dip in the pool or a sumptuous soak and massage.