The 11-room Château de Perreux is an upscale boutique set in gorgeous gardens a short drive from quaint Amboise. Housed in a grand castle dating back to 1701, the hotel features a stylish and understated combination of old and new that sets it apart from the other château-hotels in the Loire Valley region. Spacious rooms have contemporary decor in neutral shades with a few period elements, good amenities (but no Wi-Fi), and modern bathrooms with rain showers or separate showers and standalone soaking tubs. There is a heated outdoor pool in a quiet walled garden, and free parking in a cave directly in the mountain, but the highlight here is the excellent restaurant, serving a prix-fixe set menu that changes daily.