Established in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is an association of more than 580 landmark hotels and restaurants operated by independent innkeepers, chefs, and owners who share a passion for their businesses and a desire for authenticity in their relationships with their clientele.
Relais & Châteaux is established around the globe, from the Napa Valley vineyards and French Provence to the beaches of the Indian Ocean. It offers an introduction to a lifestyle inspired by local culture and a unique dip into human history.
Relais & Châteaux members have a driving desire to protect and promote the richness and diversity of the world’s cuisine and traditions of hospitality. They are committed to preserving local heritage and the environment, as encompassed in the Charter presented to UNESCO in November 2014.

All around the world the Relais & Châteaux restaurants strive for the same goal: to offer thrilling, memorable meals. Their selection of ingredients, honed techniques, perceptive associations of flavours all combine to create an art of true excellence in perfect harmony with an idylic setting. The chefs, who make up the Relais & Châteaux Restaurants, transport us with the mere mention of their names to the haute couture of gourmet cuisine at the peak of its perfection. The chefs are the people who set the tone for an inspirational, groundbreaking cuisine. Throughout the world the Relais & Châteaux Restaurants are places which are the expression of culinary arts blending the cultures and terroirs of the world. From Great Britain to Italy, from Canada to Argentina, the route is long and presents countless culinary richnesses. There is no doubt that the Relais & Châteaux chefs who are the true virtuosos of taste, cultivate a cuisine rich in influences. But it is also the cohesion, the sharing of experiences and knowledge of the chefs that make Relais & Châteaux rise to culinary exceptions. 

Our history is delightful, telling of men and women who take over a charming hotel, an outstanding restaurant, and then join forces to share their enthusiasm with others. This history dates back to 1954. Sixty years ago, Marcel and Nelly Tilloy, a couple of music-hall artists who owned La Cardinale, a hotel and restaurant on the right bank of the Rhône, came up with the idea of advertising eight properties under the slogan ‘La Route du Bonheur’. Eight totally different houses, all authentic and inhabited, each with its own personality, located away from towns on the road from Paris to Nice, they were all united by shared values: topquality amenities, outstanding fine dining and their own particular ideas about the Art of Living. This union of kindred spirits merged together to create the most prestigious hotel Association in the world: Relais & Châteaux. Today, nearly 562 Members are to be found along 140 Routes du Bonheur in 67 countries, all sharing the same enthusiasm. “Hoteliers, restaurateurs must speak from the heart”, was Marcel Tilloy’s recommendation. This was 60 years ago and that belief is still alive today.

Relais & Châteaux is defined by the values it shares with its Members throughout the world. 

A local anchor - Our properties are the living expression of a place, its history, environment and culture.

The human aspect - The Relais & Châteaux spirit lies not only in the respect shown toward one's hosts and colleagues, but also toward the men and women who evolve around our properties and embody the places and cultures they are part of.

Sharing  - Every Maître de Maison conveys his or her passion to our customers.. 

Commitment - Relais & Châteaux Members help to enrich the history of cuisine and hospitality.

The experiences one has at Relais & Châteaux properties give one the feeling of total immersion in a place and its culture, allowing them to be discovered from up close with all that they have to offer. The attentiveness and sincerity of our team give you a sense of enjoyment that comes paired with respect for every person's privacy, all through a warm and privileged relationship.