La Chartreuse du Val St-Esprit – Deluxe room

The Chartreuse Domain of the Val Saint-Esprit in Gosnay

La Chartreuse du Val Saint Esprit is a luxury hotel located in the North of France in Gosnay, close to Bethune city. It belongs to the prestigious circle of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

The property was brilliantly renovated in the historical XIXth century Chartreuse Domain. This is the unique place where two chartreuses were built. Both steeped with history and guided by excellence, the place appears as an elegant French residence in the countryside.

La Chartreuse du Val Saint-Esprit hotel

The beautiful paved courtyard

Arrival at the hotel

We arrived at the hotel on a sunny Saturday afternoon. It is quite easy to reach it as it is only 5 minutes from the Bethune highway exit (2 hours from Paris). The charm operates directly when you enter into the courtyard with pavement and see the clear stoned facade of the Chartreuse.

We were warmly welcomed by the desk staff and directly escorted to our room on one end of the building. She enquired to understand at what time we would like to have our dinner on that evening and showed us key things to know about the room features (TV, WiFi, heating, minibar, etc…).

Historical building corridor

Warm atmosphere of the hotel

The room

We stayed in a deluxe room, which is the highest room category below the suite. The room is made of a corridor with the bathroom on the left and then a large bed room.

From a decoration standpoint, the setting is classic and elegant, pretty aligned with the rest of the property. The result is warm and comfortable. You can see that care has been taken to make guests feel like royalties in their castle. It offers a unique opportunity to live La vie de château!

Two large wall cupboards in the corridor allow you to leave your clothes and luggage. They also include the minibar and several kinds of glasses.

Deluxe room entrance

The bed room is quite large with a nice view over the garden and a part of the historical chartreuse. Here you have a table with two chairs, a large bed, another large chair and a flat screen TV set hidden in a cupboard. When you turn on the TV, you can discover a short movie describing the hotel which is a good introduction.

Tradition and today’s standards match in harmony. The WiFi is working perfectly and it isn’t complex to use (just a login/password to enter). The heating system can be turned on/off easily (no lock or complex magic combination to operate it).

Deluxe bedroom

Luxury castle bed

Damask details

The bathroom features all the comfort you may need to pamper with a large bathtub, a separate shower, two sinks and a large mirror. The toilets are separated. The place is all dressed with a lined with mosaic luminous ceramic wall tile. Here, you’ll be glad to spread your beauty necessary on large marble areas.

Some fluffy signed towels are displayed on baths towel warmer. Two high quality bathrobes and slippers are waiting for you to extend those relaxing moments. You might quickly feel like home!

Bath is ready! Please do not disturb!

Luxury signed bathrobe

Catering

Let’s start with the breakfast, delivered in the gorgeous decoration of the Robert II restaurant. It is presented as a generous buffet with side dishes prepared on demand. A lot of options are available in the buffet : salmon, cold cut, homemade Viennese pastries, several kind of breads, homemade honey and plum jam, cereals, fruits, dairy products, etc… Everything is there and the quality is excellent. Really enjoyed the home made Viennese pastries and the home made honey. I only wished my stomach allowed me to eat more of those!

We chose a table overlooking the park. What a perfect start of the day!

Generous breakfast buffet in the Robert II restaurant

Park view from our table

Then the bar! Located next to the lobby, it includes very comfortable armchair and leather sofas. When I say comfortable, they are really comfortable! There is a large chimney on one end. The decoration is really felted and cozy, made of wood and warm colors. The barman, Thierry, is really friendly. He has delicious cookies in a secret box (not sure if I should have shared this secret…) and a good tea offering. We enjoyed spending some time there, the place is usually quiet and Thierry will make his best to ensure you have a pleasant journey.

Tea time at the bar of the Chartreuse

Chinese iron teapot and fine Bernardaud porcelain

Last but not least, we had a dinner at the Robert II, the gastronomic restaurant of La Chartreuse Val St Esprit. I will miss words to tell how we enjoyed it. To be clear and simple, it is in the top 3 restaurants within 150 Kms around Bethune.

The bar

The Robert II gastronomic restaurant of the Chartreuse Domain

Activities

A lot of activities are possible at La Chartreuse Val St Esprit. You can play tennis on the 2 courts available. Bicycles are also available if you want to make a stroll in the countryside.

I recommend taking the time to visit the kitchen garden. I had never seen any like this one before. It is so well maintained with a huge diversity. You can smell the perfumes of all the plants and vegetables in the alleys. It is such a peaceful area. You can imagine how fresh the Cuisine delivered at the Robert II is based on the look and size of the kitchen garden next to it.

The Louvre museum of Lens, opened in 2012, is not far from the hotel (less than 30 minutes driving distance). Bethune and its Spanish-like Grand Place and its typical Beffroi are just 5 to 10 minutes from Gosnay.

View over the park of La Chartreuse

La Chartreuse du Val Saint Esprit outsides

Perfectly aligned alleys of the French garden

French garden of the Chartreuse Domain

Conclusion

We had a really nice stay at La Chartreuse Val St Esprit in Gosnay. This is a really special place. The service definitely makes the difference with a very friendly and professional staff. The property is quite easy to reach from Lille and Paris or even London thus making it a quite convenient place to enjoy a relaxing getaway.

While living in cities, it is always nice to have the opportunity to get out of the crowd and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the countryside. La Chartreuse Val St Esprit is the perfect place for this. A lovely chance to savor La Vie de Château.

Botticelli roses in the garden

Bethune Grand Place and Beffroi