Lodging in Amboise or other town in Loire (near Tours)

We stayed at Chateau de Pray just outside Amboise. LOVED IT. We stayed 3 nights and at the time I believe the 3rd day was free. There's a pool. The rooms are lovely and there is a Michelin starred restaurant which is quite reasonable. We got a prix fixe meals. We had wine by the glass and it was reasonably priced as well. I recommend walking the cute town of Amboise. The Da Vinci Chateau is really interesting and unique. We visited quite a few chateau over our two trips to the area. My favorites are Chenoceau and Villandry. There is a wine route that's fun to drive, we just happened upon it. We did some wine tasting and really loved the informal tasting in the Vouvray area.

I can only suggest these two B&Bs in which I stayed in 2019.

In Amboise, this older building with furnishings to match was comfortable and clean and just a few blocks from the downtown area and the river: http://irisdesmarais.com/english/bedandbreakfastvaldeloirehouse.php The owners were also quite friendly and attentive and speak English well.

In Chinon, this B&B is much newer, quite nice and very comfortable: https://www.aux4chemins.fr/. It sits just above the town center, which you can access via an outdoor elevator, a five-minute walk away, or take a footpath. To see the elevator, scroll down a bit in the last link.

Alain and Martine have limited English, but if you understand French he may have some interesting stories to tell about his career as a crew member of the French version of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels.

https://www.experienceloire.com/chinon.htm

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have used Trip Advisor (hope that's not a dirty word here). They were great for some countries in the middle east, but have been lame for the Loire and Italy.

TripAdvisor is not a good source for hotels imo, the reviews can easily be fake. In the last 5 yrs I always use Booking.com or Hotels.com to find hotels. Those reviews cannot be faked, only people that actually stayed at that hotel can write a review. We stayed in very bad hotel that RS recommended (Hotel Bellevue - might be a different owner and better now) on our first stay in Amboise, the second visit we stayed at Le Manoir les Minimes which was fabulous, too bad it’s booked. I think you will have good luck finding something nice with the two websites i mentioned.

I just checked Booking.com for your dates and lots of really good hotels are listed.

Ooh, look at this one!

https://www.booking.com/hotel/fr/chateau-des-arpentis.en-gb.html?aid=304142&label=gen173nr-1DCAEoggI46AdIM1gEaIkCiAECmAEJuAEHyAEN2AED6AEBiAIBqAIDuALisa6WBsACAdICJGM4OGM5ZDE5LTcyYTUtNDZjYy1iY2Q0LWM5NTBiMDVmMzFmM9gCBOACAQ&sid=1a97117b0e0ad4c193912e20323437ce&all_sr_blocks=4543201_218898170_0_2_0;checkin=2022-09-01;checkout=2022-09-07;dist=0;group_adults=1;group_children=0;hapos=4;highlighted_blocks=4543201_218898170_0_2_0;hpos=4;matching_block_id=4543201_218898170_0_2_0;no_rooms=1;req_adults=1;req_children=0;room1=A;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;sr_pri_blocks=4543201_218898170_0_2_0__120000;srepoch=1657510379;srpvid=65ad18f5a1f10140;type=total;ucfs=1&

There are others actually in town to consider. I would not book any hotel that isn’t rated “Very Good” or above.

Minimes is really popular at the moment because they have just received their 5th star. La Choiseul next door is very good too.

Arpentis is good, we have had many clients stay there, but it isn't within after dinner walking distance of anywhere (the nearest restaurant is Macdonald's, a 15 minute walk down an unlit laneway) and they don't do evening meals.

La Brèche near the station is good, with a good restaurant. Clos d'Amboise and Pavillons Les Lys are also good.

For some reason the above three rarely get mentioned on the booking sites, but clients who have stayed there really rate them. Maybe it's because they don't pay the booking sites the same comission as some of the other

Thank you all SO much for your help. I ended up booking at Hôtel le Pavillon Des Lys.

Le Pavillon Des Lys looks amazing. You’re sure to have a wonderful time staying there. Good recs Simon.

Hôtel le Pavillon Des Lys Really does look nice. I love Amboise! Adding this place to my file.