Hôtel Diderot

Hôtel Diderot descritpion

This simple, family-run hotel from the 17th Century offers a calm elegance in the charming city of Chinon. The Hôtel Diderot, with its courtyard garden and white limestone walls, is conveniently located within walking distance of medieval Chinon. Guests are entrusted with the key to the front door at night.
Guest rooms are all individually decorated and have private en suite bathrooms with a bath or shower and a toilet.
A continental breakfast is served next to the 15th-century fireplace in the breakfast room, or it is served on the terrace during the summer.
Guests have use of the garden and patio. The location is good for exploring the town; the renovated chateau are within walking distance, and there are many shops and restaurants nearby.

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Facilities of Hôtel Diderot

Outdoors ：Grounds

Pets ：Pets are not allowed.

Internet ：Free!WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge.

Parking ：Free!Free public parking is available at a location nearby (reservation is not needed).

Services ：Express Check-in/Check-out | Baggage Storage | Fax/Photocopying

Languages Spoken ：Italian | French | Spanish | English

Reviews for Hôtel Diderot

Review 1：I wasn't happy with the way we greeted or treated. We had come in late in the day but not later than was allowed. We pulled up with a woman crossing her arms and her sternness continued at sign in, getting our room, the conversation about the breakfast served, "We don't have eggs or bacon or any of that stuff. We don't have cereal. We don't have any of that stuff." The next morning, the coffee was very weak, a gentleman was there now and he was bothered by my asking for stronger coffee. He let me know that he made an expresso. "I made you a double." Not a pleasant experience in general.

Review 2：I liked how the room was decorated. I liked the town which is a very pretty and convenient 5 min walk down the road.

Review 3：The whole ambience and friendliness of the hotel. Exactly what one would wish for in a typical french hotel in an attractive town such as Chinon. Excellent breakfast

Review 4：Owners were friendly, fair and helpful. Also tri-lingual. Room was quiet, well maintained, and comfortable. Location was safe -- we came in the night entrance several times with no problem after the gate to the parking lot was locked at 9 PM. Many different kinds of jam available for breakfast, a specialty. Within walking distance of all Chinon attractions.

Review 5：Friendly, helpful and charming couple made us feel so welcome. We had wonderful breakfasts of locally sourced foods and our room was so comfortable. A short walk to so many restaurants for dinner in the centre of the village.

Review 6：Friendly, helpful and welcoming hosts, charming ambience with a super little bar where you can try local wines etc. Breakfast was ample with home-made jams, tasty bread and yoghurt.

Review 7：Loved the spacious nicely decorated room. The breakfast provided for the price was the best we saw any where. They said they had local fresh produce and they certainly did. So good I did not even miss eggs!

Review 8：The hotel was very comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful. The breakfast is accompanied by home-made jams and marmalade, which were excellent.

Review 9：Nothing to dislike

Review 10：What a great little hotel. We received a most warm welcome, easy parking, very comfortable bed in a quite room. Great French breakfast, superb home made jams can't wait to go back next spring. Wi-Fi good. Ten minute walk into the centre of Chinon for great restaurants.

Review 11：Nothing!

Review 12：Beautiful building, thoughtful conversion to a hotel. Relaxing ambience. Convenient parking. Friendly staff. Ideally situated for easy access to the medieval town. Wonderful breakfast. We stayed here a couple of times about 10 years ago and loved it. It remains just as we remembered it.

Review 13：staff very nice but owner not as warm. Problem with lock of bathroom door (Room 23?) so it locked you out of bathroom (better than trapping you inside though!) but owner said he would be mending it so should be ok now.

Review 14：very pretty hotel and lovely terrace.

Review 15：Earlyl closure of bar 8.30pm No ability to get or make drinks Staff depart 9pm so side entrance needed which was dark Stairs steep and poorly lit Breakfast not as I expected from visit many years ago. Presentation not as inspiring although content not different

Review 16：Situation Quaint historic house Parking available Very clean newly decorated room

Review 17：Rather small room and bed for my tall husband who would have preferred more space. However, they may have larger rooms.

Review 18：Gorgeous property located in the castle area. Managers and went out of their way to be helpful.

Review 19：Torrential rain all evening! We got there in time for parking but late arrivals were not so lucky.

Review 20：Charming hotel, right in town with lots of Bistros around . Loverly plants around the car park.

Review 21：The hotel was delightful, with a gorgeous garden and lovely rooms. Good, quiet location and helpful staff. Would thoroughly recommend it as a place to stay in Chinon.

Review 22：Wonderful quiet and relaxing hotel in the centre of beautiful Chinon. Comfortable room overlooking the courtyard with excellent shower. Breakfast is brilliant with lots of jams to spread on your bread products. Parking in courtyard is chargeable but free public car park just before hotel on right up the small road.

Review 23：The property was like staying in a garden. The breakfast was delicious with homemade jams not able to be bought anywhere. The owners were French (husband) and American (wife) so we really got to speak French but had someone to translate if needed. We enjoyed celebrating our daughter's 20th birthday here and hope to come back!

Review 24：The staff were most helpful in accommodating my husbands mobility difficulties. Our room was beautifully decorated, with a very large shower room, comfortable bed and quality bed linen. Breakfast on the terrace was delicious...plenty of choice and homemade preserves.

Review 25：The rooms are nicely decorated and the whole hotel has charm. The terrace is an excellent spot for a glass of wine from the bar and also for breakfast.

Review 26：Minor point but insect mesh for windows at night would have been a plus.

Review 27：Very quiet, great location. All the staff were pleasant and helpful. Wonderful breakfast, the home made jams are a delight. A hotel we would return to.

Review 28：The majority of the staff were really friendly, just found one lady unfriendly and a bit rude.

Review 29：The hotel was lovely and the location good. I asked for a room with better light and they were willing to move me to another option, but I decided against it in the end. I appreciated the willingness to assist. The outside sitting area was lovely.

Review 30：No help on arrival with luggage up two flights of rickety stairs. Rather unfriendly owners. Basic unvaried breakfasts. Very hard uncomfortable bed.

Review 31：The location with parking was good. There is a lovely shaded outdoor terrace.

Review 32：Would have liked Pain au Chocolat or pain au raisin for breakfast but the breakfast was still good

Review 33：The setting was ideal to walk into Chinon The rooms were decorated very nicley

Review 34：Directions needed.

Review 35：New management is restoring every room of an ancient building and are continuing a great tradition of hospitality. The wife makes quantities of unique jams (mango, pear/peach, cassis, ... plus more popular flavors for a substantial continental breakfast. Good coffee too. Just get good directions! It's a bit hard to locate.

Review 36：Our bed was quite soft and may have needed replacing

Review 37：Great location and car park is locked at night, secure for the car Fabulous shower and separate toilet room, loved it.

Review 38：Very quiet - birdsong incredible and the air filled with the perfume of the enclosed garden - yet, in the centre of Chinon! Staff very helpful and friendly.

Review 39：Not being able to stay longer!

Review 40：Rooms are Devine! The serenity! The proximity to the restaurants! A beautiful establishment, well run. An enjoyable visit!

Review 41：Hotel located in a very nice old building, plenty of charms and surrounded by a garden. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. You can reach the most touristic spots in town on foot.

Review 42：The wallpaper was very flowery!

Review 43：Lovely setting around a gravel courtyard, short walk to the centre & chateau. Yummy (but limited range) breakfast with lots of home made jams

Review 44：We felt that hotel was greatly overrated. The room was not cozy at all - we're sure though that there are nicer rooms available in the hotel.

Review 45：Great location

Review 46：Room and bathroom were recently refurbished. The room itself was charmingly decorated with flowery wallpaper and a raw limestone wall. There was a nice terrace where we enjoyed a glass of wine in the sun.

Review 47：The courtyard is beautiful and the hotel is lovely. The new owners are making sure that everything is done to keep guests happy. If we return to this area, we will be sure to stay there again!

Review 48：We were here offseason. There aren't any spaces beside your room to sit and visit or use your computer, read, etc. I saw a patio sitting area that is probably used in the summer. We were three women different ages traveling together, so at other places, we used the public spaces more often.

Review 49：We enjoyed talking with the owner about her food blog and signed up! At breakfast, the homemade honeys and jams along with local nuts and produce were delicious! The new owners are very attentive interesting people!

Review 50：Small but adequate room.

Review 51：This had to be the cleanest hotel I've ever been in. Friendly and helpful. The padded walls made it very quite. Breakfast was interesting and fun, with a large assortment of homemade jams.

Review 52：Nothing

Review 53：The location, the staff, the room, and the breakfast. The hotel has a wonderful old-world charm and is very peaceful, and in a perfect position for discovering Chinon.

Review 54：Cannot think of any negatives at all about Hotel Diderot. If you go to Chinon, definitely see the fortress, but be sure to get there for a tour in English (call first to confirm timing as guidebook/online info was incorrect). We missed that tour and felt like we missed a lot as fortress signage is minimal.

Review 55：Very comfortable room and attentive staff. We only were able to stay one night at the end of our trip to France, but would definitely come again. Next time we'd like to come for three nights at the beginning of our trip to get over the jet lag from the US in this quiet hotel with its beautiful garden.

Review 56：The staff alone would sell this place. Everyone there was so friendly and accommodating from the hosts to the gardners. The hotel was within walking distance of town and seemed to be in a good neighborhood so parking in the local lot was not a problem. Breakfast was amazing with the local goat cheese and honey and a dozen different homemade jams along with fresh baguettes and croissants. Most nights we stopped for a glass of wine from the bar right on the premises because it was as good as anything we could find in town and cheaper! We would definitely go back

Review 57：I seriously cannot think of anything negative about this place!

Review 58：We loved this hotel and stayed 2 nights here. The location is very good...about halfway between the train station and the town centre, and easily walkable between both. Its in a gorgeous building, surrounded by amazing gardens. Very quiet location. The hotel has every amenity, and is run very efficiently. The owners are friendly and available for advice. We would strongly recommend Hotel Diderot for anyone visiting Chinon.

Review 59：Unfortunately unable to stay for longer!

Review 60：Unlike large hotel chains Diderot provides a warm welcome and loads of charm. The breakfast is second to none with it's choice of home made jams, tasty breads, local apple juice and very good coffee. Courtyard and garden very picturesque.

Review 61：nothing

Review 62：We spent 2 wonderful nights at Hotel Diderot and loved the hotel. We arrived on bicycles and they had a secure place to lock our bikes in the garden courtyard. Loved sitting outside each evening for a glass of local wine before dinner. Hotel is located in building that is over 400 years old and sections added and renovated. Our room was upstairs and found it to be quiet and comfortable, and exceptionally clean. Location was great for getting into town and exploring the fortress and historic center. Best part of the stay was breakfast in a charming room with wooden beams and stone walls. The owners make their own jam and each morning you have a selection of 25 jams to choose from! You also get fresh local goat cheese, breads, yogurt, fruit, fresh apple juice and coffee. The treat was being able to crack your own walnuts which are mixed with honey and chives and spread on toast. Delicious! The staff all speak English and are very helpful. I highly recommend this hotel.

Review 63：Unwilliness to guarantee parking each day (we stayed for 5 nights) Unfortunately the staff were more stunned to the Backroads Tour groups rather than individual travellers and let them be as noisy as they liked while admonishing everyone else re noise control. Peace and quiet was destroyed every morning and evening when they took over the breakfast and bar area. Small rooms no fridge

Review 64：Proximity to town

Review 65：A hotel that didn't seem like a hotel. Very quaint with warm hospitality. Ideally located very close to the centre of the village Breakfast was in a very old room filled with character and consisted of Apple juice, fruit salad and yogurt followed by croissants, breads, goats cheese, walnuts,honey and of course the famous jams Will recommend as a lovely place to stay

Review 66：Leaving

Review 67：I loved my room (no.1) overlooking the parking area with views to the Vienne River beyond. The classical furniture was a delight, the room spacious and the new bathroom especially pleasing. Close to the restaurant area, ample free parking at the doorstep and v friendly & enthusiastic staff. One of the best in my memory, for certain.

Review 68：We had not visited France before and Hotel Diderot was the first in a series of booking we'd made through France as part of our tour. With nothing to compare it with we hadn't any idea of what to expect and we weren't at all disappointed. Everything about our stay was just as we'd hoped it would be - location, facilities, food and especially the staff. A great way to start our holiday and we'll certainly be looking at a return visit.

Review 69：We have stayed at Hotel Diderot a number of times and it is always a very high standard. The hotel is full of charm and character and the patron is always most welcoming. The bedrooms have been tastefully refurbished over the last few years. The position of the hotel cannot be bettered, close to the centre of Chinon yet in a quiet location.

Review 70：Very minor but a few cobwebs in the stairwell leading up to our room. And other guests going out into the courtyard early (to leave or for breakfast) could be heard quite clearly in our room.

Review 71：Good location in the centre of town, with limited onsite parking and a free car park nearby. Quiet at night even with a window open. We had a room overlooking the pretty courtyard garden. Pleasant welcome from a young lady on arrival and then good service from one of the proprietors at breakfast. Chinon was bigger than we expected so plenty of bars and restaurants, the tourist office gave us a map of the top sites, the walk or lift up to the fortress is well worth it for the view across the rooftops.

Review 72：Can't think of anything.

Review 73：The staff is the best. The owner sets the tone. He is so into his desire to make his guests experience the best possible. His energy is almost super human. Will never forget our stay there.

Review 74：The rooms are a little pokey and the decor old fashioned.

Review 75：Beautiful garden terrace, helpful staff, the best breakfast in France. Chinon is a delightful town.

Review 76：Lovely room. Comfortable bed with expensive sheets. Superb breakfast. Beautiful terrace. Bar serving craft ales (not just your standard Kronenbourg). Excellent location.

Review 77：A delightful hotel, with very helpful staff. A lovely courtyard in which to breakfast and have a drink at the end of the day. Charming bedrooms. Very good location in the old part of Chinon. We will hope to stay there again.

Review 78：I loved the quirkiness of it and the delightful welcome we received from the staff. The little terrace in the sunshine was a lovely place for a drink and for breakfast. A beautiful home... and that was how it felt. Thank you to the staff.

Review 79：There were no detractions

Review 80：Lovely old hotel, comfortable room, beautiful grounds with foliage, great location, amazing staff and the best breakfast in Chinon.

Review 81：Don't know of a lovelier Hotel in Chinon, or many other places, come to that! Sitting on the terrace for afternoon tea in the sun is as close to paradise as you can hope to get! Wallpapers in the lovely rooms are fabric!

Review 82：This is a great little hotel with lots of charm in the historic town of Chinon. Rooms are nicely decorated with lovely modern bathroom. No air con but this would ruin the charm of the place. The breakfast was a treat, more so when we checked out all their suppliers whose photos linked the staircase. Very nice touch. Our hosts made every effort to make our stay pleasurable. Thank you.

Review 83：I would imagine that the breakfast could become a little repetitive if your stay was more than a few nights. Their would be a limit to the number of jams one would feel like tasting. Although I appreciate the need for security to the courtyard parking the fact that it was closed at 8.30 could prove a little restrictive if the car was needed after 8.30pm.

Review 84：The Slight eccentricity. The period decor and a timeless feel back to more genteel times. The friendliness of the staff.

Review 85：No a/c, our room was small and dark.nit was in the corner and only had one window. Our friend's room waslarger, airy & bright

Review 86：Charming hosts, great breakfast, lovely garden

Review 87：We had no problems with the hotel

Review 88：Our stay at Diderot was a very pleasant experience from start to finish. The staff were friendly and helpful and were quite happy to speak English when required. The room wasn't huge but was very comfortable and clean with a lovely bathroom. It felt as if it had been recently refurbished. The hotel was well located for the centre of town and restaurants. Breakfast on the terrace was a joy amongst all the potted plants.

Review 89：Position Excellent breakfast Lots of hot water

Review 90：Very helpful and accommodating.

Review 91：Cachet de l'hotel

Review 92：No bad e patience.

Review 93：Loved the historical aspect. Main part is 14th C. The add on is 18th C.

Review 94：The ground floor room was smelling slightly damp

Review 95：Home-made jams and marmelades

Review 96：Convenient. Acceptable free parking nearby. Lovely breakfast.

Review 97：Nothing to dislike.

Review 98：Comfort and peace whilst in Town

Review 99：N/a

Review 100：Extremely comfortable room. Immaculate. Super location.

Review 101：We thought breakfast was poor value for money

Review 102：Breakfast a bit boring, some meats or eggs would make it better

Review 103：Beautiful, great rooms, cute quiet

Review 104：nothing, it was excelent

Review 105：lolcation and style

Review 106：Great location!

Review 107：Beautiful garden close to the town centre and market place. Very good breakfast of local produce.

Review 108：Bedroom decor and cleanliness. Charm and location.

Review 109：Location, facilities - room was clean and comfortable with fabulously clean and modern bathroom

Review 110：Quiet location yet within easy walking distance of the town centre. Attractive and shaded outdoor seating for drinks and breakfast.

Review 111：No Kleenex tissues provided

Review 112：Charming character and pretty garden

Review 113：The friendliness and helpfulness of the staff

Review 114：Being picky cereal at breakfast

Review 115：The hotel and terrace are stunning and a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy an apero