Courtney Whitaker checks into the Hotel Manoir Les Minimes, Amboise, France.
Location: Amboise is in the heart of the Loire Valley, meaning you are in an excellent spot to visit the surrounding chateaux and vineyards. An added bonus of staying at the Manoir is that you are at the foot of the imposing Chateau d'Amboise, a five-minute walk from the hotel.
Getting there: The Manoir is easy to find, being on the main road by the river, Quai Charles Guinot. Amboise is an easy two-hour jaunt down the A10 from Paris, and the hotel has free and secure carparking onsite.
Hotel: This recently renovated 18th Century manor house was built on the foundations of the old Minimes medieval Monastery, and sits between the Loire river and the Chateau d'Amboise. The hotel has 13 rooms and two suites and has elegant interiors decorated with traditional French antique furniture.
Check-in experience: Paul was an energetic and good-humoured host, helping us with our plethora of bags up two flights of stairs. Note: there is no lift, so book a room on a lower floor, unless you travel light.