As Relais and Chateaux celebrates its 70th anniversary, its legacy in the hospitality industry is hard to ignore.
The not-for-profit association has been pioneering luxury standards since its humble origins in France in 1954, growing from just eight properties between Paris and Nice to more than 580 hotels and restaurants worldwide over the last seven decades.
Today, its name is synonymous with excellence; membership is a badge of pride for hosts, and a promise of quality for guests. Unsurprisingly, it isn’t easy to achieve such an elite status. Of the estimated 500 properties that apply to join annually, between 20 and 30 are accepted.
Sitting down with Relais and Chateaux’s president, Laurent Gardinier, I ask what qualities make a business worthy to join this VIP club. He doesn’t hesitate, listing off each one on four fingers: “Family spirit, gastronomy, personal service and locality.”
Since its establishment, these pillars have anchored the Relais and Chateaux definition of luxury and in more recent years, this has been embraced by many five-star hotels, where butlers’ bells are now swapped for Whatsapp numbers, and imported avocados replaced by homegrown asparagus.
And yet, few have mastered the true ‘je ne sais quoi’ that echoes across the Relais and Chateaux crowd. Gardinier is blunt on this gap, noting a ‘DNA’ in each property that ‘takes years’ to form. Simply put, what Relais and Chateaux member hotels and restaurants hold over others, is years of wisdom.
The company is also serious about sustainability, releasing its first Sustainability Report in 2022, and making it clear that respecting the environment is central to its vision. One example of this is Chewton Glen, the UK member hotel chosen to host the 70th anniversary of Relais and Chateaux. Guests there will find plenty of evidence of efforts being made to protect and preserve the natural environment - as pledged in its manifesto to Unesco in 2014.
Much of the fruit, vegetables and herbs used in the restaurants are grown in Chewton Glen’s own garden, as part of the hotel’s commitment to keep its food mileage down and reduce food waste. Vegan dishes are plentiful, while seafood is sourced locally. This ethical sustainability extends to the guest rooms, where apple juice trumps the less seasonal OJ, and single-use toiletries are ditched for refillable shampoos, body lotions and soaps.
Founded in the 18th century, Chewton Glen in the New Forest was in fact the first British property to join Relais and Chateaux in 1971. A self-proclaimed ‘quintessentially English’ country estate, it was converted into a hotel after being bought by the Duval family in 1964, and today, is known as one of the nation’s finest hotels.
It has since been joined in the collection by nearly 30 UK properties, including the latest addition, 11 Cadogan Gardens in Chelsea, which marked the first London hotel in the portfolio and is also a sister hotel to Chewton Glen within Iconic Luxury Hotels.
But as the original Brit, Chewton Glen will always hold a special seat at the Relais and Chateaux table so it’s no surprise the Hampshire property was chosen for the anniversary event, with the property also celebrating its own milestone year, as it turns 60.
I was invited to stay at the hotel for the special occasion – which included a treeplanting ceremony in the hotel grounds – while experiencing a night in one of its Treehouse suites, the Spa and Health Club and of course, restaurants, over a whirlwind 24 hours. I also explored the 130-acre grounds, which include a nine-hole golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, walled garden and croquet lawn.
Facilities such as this are undeniably impressive, but it was the qualities Gardinier had explained that underlined the hotel’s uniqueness: the ‘DNA’ that can’t be bought or sold and which gives any member hotel that Relais and Chateaux edge. So how does Chewton Glen do it?
The family spirit
While they may not be related, one thing that quickly becomes clear to guests of Chewton Glen is that everybody knows everybody.
Many of its senior employees have worked at the hotel for several years, others have left and come back. Staff speak to one another with warm familiarity, whilst also inviting guests to join the rapport. Funny anecdotes and tender banter are the norm among their easy charm, and the grounds hum with both distant and recent memories. The message is clear; even if you’re not biologically family, Chewton Glen is ready to adopt you.
This emphasis on family values and conviviality is never at the cost of delivering an expected level of service. “We don’t want to be too formal, but we also want to be professional,” Gardinier tells me. “It’s a difficult balance.”
The personal touch
What quickly becomes clear to me is that it is this very ‘informal’ culture that creates the superb personal service of the resort.
By rejecting the ‘us and them’ dichotomy that can sometimes shape staff-to-guest relations at luxury hotels, Chewton Glen sees each of its guests as individuals, and can thereby better anticipate their needs and wants.
“Once we know, we can make adjustments to their liking,” Clive McNish, general manager of the hotel since 2022, explains.
It doesn’t take long for me to discover how seriously Chewton Glen takes this ethos. After my friendly escort gives me a tour of my treehouse, he hands me a piece of paper with his work number. “Let me know if you need anything,” he says, and I can tell he means it.
Other personal touches include a handwritten welcome letter, and a mini fridge stocked with oat milk in honour of my veganism. When I realise I’ve dressed too lightly for our beach walk to Highcliffe the next morning, a manager immediately lends me one of her colleague’s winter coats.
With every gesture, the ‘personal’ prefix to the service is strengthened, ensuring each guest feels seen and valued throughout their stay.
The gastronomy
“Gastronomy is not a service at Relais and Chateaux, it’s an experience,” Gardiner tells me, before adding, “If you don’t have a good restaurant, you’re not getting into the association.” Fortunately for Chewton Glen, they’re at no risk of expulsion.
Guests are invited to eat in its sophisticated Dining Room, where a seasonal menu offers an array of gourmet dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. Things are more relaxed over at The Kitchen, where the four courses at our Chef’s Table unfold like scenes in an interactive play.
Each bite is peppered by the words of executive head chef Luke Matthews, informing us we’re now tasting the first New Forest asparagus of the season, or that the rhubarb in our pudding was originally grown at Buckingham Palace. This immersive ‘experience’, coupled with the passion of The Kitchen’s talented team, makes for an unforgettable meal that delights far more than just the palate.
The locality
“A Relais and Chateaux property has to be included in its local community, in terms of architecture, design and soul,” Gardinier explains.
Chewton Glen is certainly proud of its New Forest address, embracing the lush surroundings as a key selling point of the hotel. Guests are invited to explore the heathland’s natural beauty, with activities including canoeing on the Beaulieu River, cycling in the Hampshire woodland and yachting through the Solent. On the Chewton Glen grounds, classic English pastimes such as clay pigeon shooting and duck herding, can also be arranged. For those with a penchant for craft beers, a tour of the local brewery with exclusive access to its behind-the-scenes operations is another option.
As part of its promise to support neighbourhood businesses, Chewton Glen also stocks its guest rooms, spa and restaurants with products created by local and independent artisans. In its boutique shop, visitors can find treats such as jewellery crafted in southern England; Dorset sea salt; and of course, the estate’s signature homemade honey. From its unique outdoors entertainment to its specialty soaps, Chewton Glen leans into its originality at a 180° angle - and it’s executed the pose perfectly.
Rates at Chewton Glen start from £500, with its Treehouse Suites beginning at £1,350.
