The building has a lot of character, set in attractive grounds with mature trees. The weather was a bit too wet to explore these but we walked down to the river and also very much enjoyed the view from our balcony on the top floor, a great view over the river and floodplain with distant views of egrets and spoonbills. As they are out of town there is a snack menu offered, we didn’t need it but good to have the option. The room was very comfortable and it’s great to have a kettle and coffee maker. Staff were very helpful and contacted us in advance with lots of information.

Breakfast is expensive, though it was excellent with lots of choice and high quality. But you did feel you had to eat lots to get your money’s worth.

The room was clean and tastefully decorated. The bed was extremely comfortable. The view from the main window was beautiful. Breakfast was amazing-fresh and delicious with a great variety of options.

The shampoo/ soap in the shower is an all in one. I feel like in a hotel of this standard, you should have separate shampoo, conditioner and body wash. We did get stuck in the lift and had to be rescued. It didn’t take long and was our fault, however lift instructions on the wall were only in French and we only speak English.

Chateau des Forges is a charming 19th century house and it was delightful to stay there. We had chosen it because we were en route from the Portsmouth-Caen ferry to visit family in northern Spain. Arriving in Caen at 4 in the afternoon, the chateau was only 3 hours drive away, so it was perfect for an overnight stop. Additionally it is only a few minutes' away from the motorway. Although the motorway was nearby, the chateau and its grounds were very quiet. We had an amazingly large en-suite room on the first floor with a balcony which looked out over a swimming pool and a wooded landscape to a river - la Mayenne. If your expectation is the standard corporate blandness of well-known hotel chains, you will be disappointed. I would say that the ethos of the hotel is one that is concerned with the environment with sustainability being central to their operations. Rooms are furnished tastefully with recycled and re-purposed furniture. Our bed was very comfortable. The team at Chateau des Forges were very welcoming, friendly and helpful with an informal manner which I liked. The chateau does not have a full evening meal service. Instead they have their Menu Snack which offers a starter, main and dessert, a la carte, so you can have all the courses or one or two. The choice is limited but there are vegetarian options in all courses. You can also order drinks. The food is good, reasonably priced and at the end you feel you have dined well. In advance of your stay the team send you a menu and ask you to inform them of your choice by the afternoon of your arrival. I am sure this is part of their sustainability practices as it clearly avoids food wastage in the kitchen. Breakfast was excellent with a full continental buffet and you can also order a warm dish such as omelette with cheese, ham etc.. The whole experience was so charming and comfortable that we booked to stay there on our return journey.

My only negative comment is very trivial. The cutlery felt uncomfortable to use. I did say say it was trivial and, with my own belief in sustainable practices, I am certainly not going to recommend replacing the cutlery!!

A spotlessly clean, well appointed room in the annex, next to a beautiful Chateau, in its own grounds. What's not to like? Being able to book in on arrival for a very good dinner, was an unexpected bonus. All the staff were very pleasant and helpful. The breakfast is quite pricey, but in return you get something way better than normal, with freshly cooked eggs available to order, and a huge choice of food.

The only thing they could do better is to increase the choice on the drinks menu, to include some aperitifs and digestifs. A very minor point.

Sublime breakfast! Beautiful views from their backyard terrace, it truly was a morning delight. Overall a very beautiful, boutique hotel. Beautiful grounds, loads of cute seating nooks around. Our room was accommodating and the size of our bathroom was surprisingly large. Nice amenities and loved the shower gel. Staff was professional, prompt and knowledgeable. Location was extremely handy for us since we didn’t have much time, it’s very close to the center of Angers. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful secluded chateau surrounded by green garden. Rooms are very stylish, clean and comfortable.

When asked for a bath robe and slippers hotel demanded an extra sum of 19 euro, I believe for a 4 star hotel it’s in appropriate. Also we were asked to go to our rooms at 9 pm because hotel had to close the common room so we had no other choice but to be stuck in our rooms all evening

Everything, the château, all the rooms (we booked 3 different rooms), the breakfast and special thanks to the young and friendly boy staff who was so ever helpful and polite (more enthusiastic than other lady staff)! The materials and quality of the renovation were impressive too and nicely furnished. Will definitely stay again in future. Despite its slightly higher end price, definitely worth the visit!

Nothing from all the 3 rooms from 3 different levels, all renovated so differently. Didn't have the chance to use the pool sadly, but otherwise perfect. Maybe a bit inaccessible for people who don't travel by cars.

Disaster city. Not the fault of the hotel. The hotel is beautiful but booking.com did not make it clear that we will be staying on the annex (probably the servants quarters) and although the room was quaint and tiny, it was not what we were expecting. So disappointed. We chose this place to stay in the chateau not the stables. Buyer beware when you book with booking.com!

Buyer beware when you book. You want the chateau not the annex (old stables/servant quarters???). So disappointed.

If it is a beautiful grand 19th century villa, set in the middle of a big park, with a nice swimming pool overlooking a verdant valley is what you are looking for, then you came to the right place. Staff is accommodating and friendly, rooms are spacious and the small restaurant makes simple and delicious meals. We loved it

It would have been nice if there was an airco

It was a relaxing and comfortable stopover on a long journey. We enjoyed it so much that we booked it again for the return journey two weeks later. The staff were superb a perfect mix of friendly, helpful and professional. The hotel has been decorated in a style that marries the features of the old building with modern touches perfectly. The room was large, comfortable and stylish. The breakfast was fabulous. It is very close to the motorway, ideal after a long drive, but you would never know once you are in the grounds of the hotel, the beautiful grounds are very peaceful. We will certainly return to this hotel.

We found the endless emails from Slow Village (several most days leading up to the stay) asking us to download the app a bit overwhelming. We did download the app but it wasn't relevant to us. Not a big problem and not the hotel's fault, but they could perhaps feed this back to Slow Village.