Still struggling to find the perfect gift for your fanciest jet-setter pal? How about a French castle? Rosewood Hotels has unveiled its annual “12 Days of Rosewood” gift guide—which features a dozen specially curated packages at the group’s properties around the world—and this year’s Paris deal includes a night at a historic French chateau, a private ballet performance and a stay in Hôtel de Crillon’s famous Marie Antoinette suite, all for just $171,000. (So, yeah, a little more than a candle.)
The experience starts out with a helicopter ride from Paris to the 16th-century Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley, which happens to be the second-most-visited chateau after Versailles. Located right on the Cher River, it’s generally only open to the public for daytime visits, but those opting for this exclusive retreat get to spend the night—it’s the first time the chateau is allowing overnight guests since pre-revolutionary France. Hopefully, there have been some renovations since.
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The chateau was originally built between the 12th and 13th centuries, but all that remains from that era is the dungeon. The current chateau was constructed between 1513 and 1517, and a number of noble women resided there, including Catherine de Medici, Louise Dupin and Diane de Poitiers (also known as King Henry II’s mistress).
If you’re still unimpressed, the package also offers a casual daytime gondola ride above the Cher that provides a ridiculous view of the chateau. Later, there’s an oil tasting curated by Maison Caulières in which guests can sample the very elite Réserve de Famille oils (which are, as you probably guessed, usually reserved for the family).
That night, the Opéra de Paris Ballet will regale guests with a private performance in the chateau’s Grand Gallery before Michelin star–winning chef Christopher Hache presents a top-secret, Renaissance-inspired meal with a special selection of rare Domaine de la Romanée-Conti vintages served by the hotel’s head sommelier, Xavier Thuizat.
Hôtel de Crillon is creating a very mysterious room for the sleeping portion of the evening. The suite is almost like a pop-up, meaning it’s being constructed exclusively for guests who’ve booked (or received) this package. We’re going to assume the bespoke boudoir is very old-school France, with velvety fabrics, four-poster beds and maybe a special bell to request more Romanée-Conti.
Alas, all good things must come to an end, so after the brief one-night stay and breakfast the next morning, guests are whisked back—again, by helicopter—to the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, where they’ll enjoy not one, but two nights in its decadent Marie Antoinette suite.
It’s a fitting way to cap such an opulent trip. The legendary suite is named after the French queen because she frequented it and even took piano lessons there. Its decor is an homage to her—all gold accents, silk upholstery and marble from the same quarry used for finishes at Versailles.
But if you really want to give the best gift ever—to your friend who has everything, your spouse, or yourself—you’d better act quickly. This singular experience is available to book only through December 31.
