Beautifully restored 18th-century property with gorgeous, expansive gardens
Secluded setting a 15-minute drive from Carcassonne proper
Individually decorated rooms with a cozy, romantic vibe
Adjacent independent restaurant serves wonderful French cooking
Excellent small touches in the rooms, like rainfall showers and feather pillows
Delicious buffet breakfast with homemade breads (for an extra charge)
Village setting is beautifully quaint and offers some good dining options
Free Wi-Fi available throughout the property
On-site parking is free
Guests will need a car to properly explore
No in-room kettles (but free coffee available in dining room)
One of the top three-pearl properties in Carcassonne's surrounding area, the 12-room Chateau de Palaja is ideal for couples looking for a secluded getaway with plenty to do nearby. The 18th-century building and grounds have been carefully and beautifully renovated, and the gardens are a particular treat. Inside, individually decorated rooms are charming and elegant, equipped with flat-screen TVs and minibars. Its features make it wonderful for relaxation: a swimming pool, massage treatments, and wonderful, independently owned restaurant in the old stables, plus a 1,000-volume French graphic novel collection. Given its location, guests will find that renting a car is the way to go (and there's free parking on-site). For guests who love the romantic, historic vibe but want to be in the center of town, the Best Western Hotel le Donjon is an excellent option.
Scene
Romantic, rustic, and secluded spot geared toward couples
Set in a beautifully rustic 18th-century building, the hotel sounds a lot more formal than it actually is. The family-run property is unpretentious and welcoming, and the Remy family has renovated it over a couple of years to combine its historic architecture (a gorgeous stone staircase and walls, for example) with modern furnishings and a gray-and-purple color scheme. Given its serene setting, generous selection of local wines for sale, and large, lovely grounds, the hotel is an especially good setting for couples seeking some romantic relaxation, although family rooms are available.
Location
Guests will want a car to explore beyond the hotel's immediate village surroundings.
Renting a car is definitely the way to go if you're staying at this property, as there are plenty of excellent destinations in the surrounding areas, and taxis into Carcassonne proper and back can get expensive. The center of Palaja village, home to about 2,000 residents, is about an 11-minute walk away and offers a few restaurants. For more options, Carcassonne's medieval city is about 10 to 15 minutes away by car and offers plenty of dining options, along with a gorgeous 13th-century Gothic cathedral.Lac de la Cavayere -- an excellent day out for families -- is 12 minutes away by car and offers zip-lining, a water park full of inflatables, swimming, miniature golf, and other water sports. Canal du Midi, a massive engineering works dating to the 17th century, is about 15 minutes away by car, and the Mediterranean beach is about an hour away.
Rooms
The dozen rooms are cozy and individually decorated.
Each of the hotel's 12 rooms and suites are individually decorated, spacious, and comfortable, with pops of jewel tones against grays and whites. The bedding, consisting of linen sheets and feather pillows, is an especially nice touch, and rooms are generally quiet. Modern bathrooms carry on the decor scheme and are typically outfitted with separate water closets. Suites and higher-category rooms have tubs, while standard rooms have excellent rainfall showers. All come with hairdryers and toiletries. Rooms all have air-conditioning, a minibar, safe, and a flat-screen HD TV. Somewhat surprisingly, given the large number of English guests, there aren't many English-language channels.
Features
Gorgeous grounds, great food, and wellness features are standouts
Features here are excellent and geared toward relaxation. The hotel has a private collection of more than 1,000 French comic books and graphic novels, which guests can have a gander at in a library outfitted with a fireplace. There's also a small, unheated outdoor swimming pool with a few loungers scattered around it, which is secluded among the hotel's gorgeous, well-maintained grounds. It's in those gardens that guests can also find typical French touches (a pentanque court), as well as quirkier ones (a chicken coop). More vigorous exercise options can be had in the gym, though it's sparsely outfitted with a stationary bike, rowing machine, and step machine. The property also has a few other touches that go above and beyond its pearl rating: a sauna and rarely used treatment room, where guests can book a massage, round out the offerings. A buffet breakfast with lots of delicious homemade treats is available for a separate charge, and indulging in the homemade brioche and jam in the tree-lined garden is a treat. Guests can get coffee for free throughout the day from a machine in the simple breakfast room. There's also an independently owned restaurant a two-minute walk away in what used to be the chateau's stables. It offers genuinely excellent traditional French cooking at reasonable prix-fixe or a la carte prices, but book in advance to make sure you get a table. Bicycles are available to rent on-site for a reasonable daily rate. On-site parking and (fast) Wi-Fi are free.