Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa
champagne, france · ★★★★★
The Verdict
Worth it for your honeymoon?
Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa is the modern Champagne flagship — a $50 million 2018 reinvention of an old hilltop posthouse in Champillon, on the chalk ridge directly above Épernay with the most extraordinary panoramic view of the Marne valley and the village of Hautvillers (Dom Pérignon's village) below. Forty-seven rooms and suites in low-slung modern pavilions facing the vines, an aerial 1,500m² spa with an infinity pool that appears to overflow into the valley, the one-Michelin-star Le Royal restaurant under chef Jean-Denis Rieubland, the Bellevue brasserie for casual lunches on the terrace, and a 60,000-bottle cellar that holds vintages from every grand maison in the region. The differentiator versus Domaine Les Crayères in Reims is contemporary versus classical — Royal Champagne is the modern, panorama-led, spa-anchored Champagne address; Les Crayères is the historic Relais & Châteaux mansion in a park. Royal Champagne wins on the view (genuinely incomparable, especially from the south-facing terrace at sunset) and on the spa (one of the best hotel spas in Europe). It loses on historic atmosphere and on dining provenance — Le Royal is excellent but does not have the Crayères pedigree. For honeymoon couples whose Champagne vision is the panoramic-vineyard-view spa weekend with cellar visits at the maisons below, this is exactly the right address. The Suite Coteaux with its private south-facing terrace overlooking Hautvillers is one of the best honeymoon rooms in northern Europe.
- ✓Trust couples-verified reviews
- ✓Prioritise spa & wellness
- ✓Are willing to invest in once-in-a-lifetime
- →Need a strictly adults-only resort
- →Want a direct beachfront
- →Prefer boutique & intimate properties
Score Breakdown
90/100
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At a Glance
Room Recommendation
Which room to book
The Suite Coteaux on the south side — large rooms with full private terraces directly over the vineyards and the Marne valley. The Suite Royal Champagne on the top floor is the celebrity-press suite with a wraparound terrace. The Junior Suite Vineyard category is the value tier with the same view at smaller scale. Avoid the rooms on the back of the property — they face the road and lose the entire Royal Champagne magic.
No Surprises
True cost breakdown — 7 nights for two
Based on mid-range rooms, premium-economy flights from Europe, full dining and signature experiences. Adjust for your actual travel profile.
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Room (7 nights avg $1,700/nt) | $11,900 |
| Flights (2 pax, economy/premium) | $1,800 |
| Airport transfers / seaplane | $200 |
| Dining & drinks (beyond room) | $17,850 |
| Excursions & experiences | $700 |
| Spa / signature treatments | $300 |
| Tips & service (8%) | $2,380 |
| Total estimated | $35,130 |
Day by Day
Your 7-night honeymoon itinerary
Arrival from Paris and the Sunset Terrace
TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est to Reims Centre (45 min), 30-minute taxi south to Champillon. Welcome champagne (a Bollinger Special Cuvée) on your south terrace as the sun drops over the Marne valley. Dinner at Le Royal.
Avenue de Champagne, Épernay
Drive 10 minutes down the hill into Épernay for the morning — Moët & Chandon's 28km of chalk cellars for the classic visit, lunch at La Cave à Champagne in town. Afternoon tour at Pol Roger (Churchill's house) for the small-scale honeymoon-fit visit. Late afternoon at the Royal Champagne pool.
Hautvillers and Dom Pérignon
Walk down the path from the hotel (45 min) or drive 8 minutes to Hautvillers — the hilltop abbey village where Dom Pérignon was cellarmaster from 1668 to 1715. The abbey, his tomb, the views. Lunch at Restaurant Au 36. Late afternoon at the spa.
Reims Cathedral
Drive 30 minutes north to Reims for the day — the Gothic cathedral (where 33 French kings were crowned), the Palais du Tau, lunch at L'Assiette Champenoise (three Michelin stars). Afternoon at Ruinart in Reims for the chalk-cave tour (1729-built cellars). Evening return.
Côte des Blancs Vigneron Day
Hire a driver for the day. South of Épernay to Cramant, Avize, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger — tastings at Pierre Péters, Larmandier-Bernier, and an attempt at Selosse. Lunch at the village. Return for an evening spa treatment.
Krug or Bollinger Private Visit
The grand-house honeymoon morning — a pre-booked private visit at Krug in Reims (cellar, prestige tasting) or Bollinger in Aÿ (cellar, RD tasting). Lunch at the hotel terrace. Late afternoon at the infinity pool, final dinner at Le Royal.
Slow Morning and Departure
Final breakfast on the terrace, a last walk to the vineyard edge, and the 30-minute taxi to Reims station for the TGV back to Paris.
Honest Assessment
What to know before you book
Royal Champagne is hilltop and exposed — winds at the spa terrace are significant in April-May and October. The indoor pool is the back-up.
Le Royal restaurant is one Michelin star — excellent, but not at three-star L'Assiette Champenoise level. For three-star, the lunch trip into Tinqueux is the play.
The property is rural — the village of Champillon has zero evening dining alternatives. You eat at Royal Champagne every night, which is fine but worth knowing.
Pre-Arrival
Email to send the hotel
Subject: Honeymoon inquiry — Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa Dear Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa reservations team, We are planning our honeymoon for [DATES] and would love to stay 4-6 nights. Could you please advise on availability for a Suite Coteaux with private terrace (or the Suite Royal Champagne if appropriate)? A few questions: 1. Honeymoon turndown (champagne, in-suite romantic dinner)? 2. Spa couples treatment availability — the infinity pool view is a key reason for the booking? 3. Cellar visit reservations: Pol Roger, Krug, Bollinger, and a Côte des Blancs vigneron day? 4. Private chauffeur from Reims station and for vineyard days? Thank you, [Your names]
Send 2 weeks before arrival. Fill in names, dates, and preferences. Hotels respond to personalised requests.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Good for honeymooners?
Royal Champagne is one of the top honeymoon addresses in northern France — the panoramic terrace, the aerial spa, the cellar access. Best for couples whose Champagne vision is the contemporary-luxury panorama experience with cellar visits at the maisons below.
Best time to visit?
Mid-May to mid-July and September to mid-October. The vendanges (harvest) of late September is dramatic if you love wine, busy if you don't. Christmas weekends are magical for the Reims cathedral evening visits.
Book in advance?
6-9 months ahead for the Suite Coteaux. Suite Royal Champagne books 9-12 months ahead. Direct booking via the hotel — preferred-partner status with Krug, Bollinger, and other grand maisons helps secure private visits.
Adults-only?
No — Royal Champagne accepts families but the property scale, the spa focus, and the wine-tourism nature mean the guest mix is overwhelmingly couples and wine-country travellers.
Best room type?
Suite Coteaux with the private south terrace over the vineyards. Junior Suite Vineyard for the value tier with the same view. Avoid the road-facing rooms.
How to get there?
TGV from Paris Gare de l'Est to Reims Centre (45 min), 30-minute taxi south. Or TGV to Épernay (1h 15min) and 10-minute taxi north. The hotel arranges chauffeur transfers from Reims and Épernay stations.
Same Vibe, Different Destination
