Chais Monnet
Industrial heritage conversion meets classic French luxury. Warm neutrals, natural materials, Egyptian cotton, espresso makers. The old cooperage is now a jazz bar; the barrel warehouses are now dining rooms. Heritage and modernity without feeling like a theme park.
Book Les Foudres well in advance — it's the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Cognac and fills up quickly, especially on weekends
Why It Matters
Cognac's only Michelin-starred restaurant (Les Foudres) plus Michelin 2 Keys hotel designation (2024) and Gault & Millau Exceptional Hotel (2025). First major adaptive reuse of a French industrial distillery site on this scale. Member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
Chais Monnet is Cognac's first genuinely serious luxury hotel — a conversion of a 19th-century cognac distillery complex on the banks of the Charente River into a five-star property that actually earns the rating. Architect Didier Poignant (also behind the Royal Monceau and The Hoxton Paris) kept the bones: ancient oak beams, original 260-hectoliter tuns, cooperage halls, and timbered barrel-aging warehouses. The result is 92 rooms and suites spread across four buildings, the region's only Michelin-starred restaurant, and a bar with 300+ cognac references from 40 houses. It fills a genuine gap — before Chais Monnet opened in October 2018, Cognac had no hotel of this calibre despite producing one of France's most prestigious spirits.
Where You'll Stay
6 room types available
Apartment
The hotel has 12 apartments (some sources say 13) with full kitchens and dining rooms. No room service is included with apartment stays, and housekeeping is provided for stays of 7 nights or more. Good option for longer stays or families who want self-catering flexibility.
Deluxe Room
The entry-level room at Chais Monnet, running 28 to 38m². Classic French chic decor with natural materials, soundproofed walls, walk-in shower, Egyptian cotton bedding, minibar, espresso maker, and flat-screen TV. Some rooms in the historic Chais buildings have oak beams overhead.
33 sqmJunior Suite
From 49 to 62m². Includes a private lounge area and dressing room. The suites lean deeper into the heritage aesthetic — expect leather, wood, and deep armchairs. Some have terraces.
55 sqmLa Suite Jean Gabriel Monnet
The flagship at 170m². Named after the famous Cognac merchant and founding father of the European Union who began his career here. Includes a grand reception room, full dining area with cooking facilities, butler service, and — uniquely — a private in-suite treatment room where spa therapists come to you. It's the most atmospheric space in the hotel.
170 sqmPremier Room
Runs 39 to 47m² — noticeably more spacious than the Deluxe. Same warm neutral palette with noble materials, seating area, terrace in select units, and the full amenity set. A solid step up if you want breathing room without going suite-level.
43 sqmSuite
Runs 68 to 87m². Full suite format with separate living area and dressing room. Can accommodate additional guests for discreet business meetings. The larger footprint means genuine space to spread out — not just a bigger bed.
77 sqmThe Property
Eat & Drink
4 venues on property
Restaurant
Spa & Wellness
Treatment Menu
On Property
How you'll actually spend your days.
River trips on the Charente, bookable as part of the hotel's curated regional experience programme.
One- or two-hour horseback rides through the Cognac vineyards, often paired with an oenologist guide for context on the terroir.
Learn the basics of cognac mixology with head bartender Mickael Ulrich and his team. Create your own cocktail using spirits from the bar's 300+ cognac collection.
The hotel partners with Hennessy, Martell, Rémy Martin, Delamain, Camus, Bache Gabrielsen, and others for guided visits and exclusive tastings. Some require advance arrangement through reception.
Two-hour complimentary rides on classic bikes along the Charente. Electric bikes are available to rent for longer or hillier routes.
A cognac-themed 60-minute escape room on site. Joseph has hidden his cognac recipe — you have one hour to find it.
The hotel offers all-inclusive golf stays including accommodation, transfers, and access to the 18-hole Cognac Golf Course located 8km away.
Balloon flights over the Charente valley and vineyards, bookable via the hotel as a curated experience.
A guided visit to the Letuffe chocolate factory, exploring production from cocoa harvesting to finished product.
The Monnet art gallery in the historic Maison Monnet building features works by contemporary artist Emmanuel Pierre. Open every Saturday 3pm–6pm or by prior arrangement with reception.
Outdoor yoga classes held in the gardens of the adjacent Maison Monnet, designed by landscape architect Louis Benech.
Amenities & Practical Info
The details that matter for planning.
Nearly 2,500m² of private event space including a 400m² ballroom. State-of-the-art facilities for seminars and corporate events.
Works by contemporary artist Emmanuel Pierre in the adjacent Maison Monnet building.
On-site free parking, no reservation required.
Dogs welcome at €30 per night. Includes bowl, treats, and a cushion.
25-metre indoor pool open year-round, 7am–9pm. Large bay windows for natural light.
Seasonal outdoor pool open in summer.
24-hour room service. La Distillerie menu available for room service during restaurant hours, 7 days a week. On Fridays and Saturdays, Les Foudres dinner menu is also available for in-room dining.
Fully equipped gym, open 7am–9pm.
Classic bicycles available for 2-hour complimentary rides. Electric bikes available to rent.
BUILD YOUR CHAIS MONNET PLAN
Rooms, dining, spa, and resort experiences — organized into one trip plan.
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