Fodor's Expert Review Château de Bagnols

A destination in itself, Lady Hamlyn's dazzlingly elegant castle-hotel, one of the glories of the Beaujolais, is even more dazzling after an 18-month renovation. The main château's guest rooms evoke the 18th century, with many covered in historic frescoes done by a Baroque school of artists inspired by the "Grand Fabrique" (Lyon's famed silk-brocade makers). Lodgings in La Résidence—the converted stables and carriage houses—are rustic-contemporary, with giant exposed wood beams and enormous bathrooms. More spectacle awaits in the massive Salle des Gardes, which now holds the esteemed gourmet restaurant, agleam with silver candelabras, giant bouquets, and a wall-wide fireplace. Head to the beautiful stone cuvage (wine-pressing room) for the occasional wine tasting.