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Chateau des Ducs de Joyeuse, BW Signature Collection

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1 Allee Georges Roux, Couiza, 11190 France
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PHONE : +33 4 68742350
4.4 / 5
669 Reviews Tripadvisor
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Hotel advantages

Swimming pool
Tennis
Multilingual staff
Parking
Restaurant on site or nearby
Restaurant on site
Room service
Tennis court on site or nearby
Elevator
Childcare service
Buisness Plus equipment
Lounge bar
24/7 reception
Free Parking
Free Wifi
Iron and ironing board
MINI-BAR
Bathrobes
Coffee maker
Hair dryer
Green Key Label
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The strong points

Additional services

Description

Set in a 16th-century castle in the upper Aude Valley, the Chateau des Ducs de Joyeuse, BW Signature Collection offers a unique stay steeped in five centuries of history, where the spirit of the Joyeuse family and their lavish celebrations still seem to linger in the stone. A castle hotel of real character in a privileged natural setting, it pairs a contemporary spirit with an eco-responsible approach across rooms that range from standard to prestige chambers set in the wide towers, some with four-poster beds. A gastronomic restaurant lays well-dressed tables in a medieval room divided by a central chimney, with a Renaissance terrace for summer evenings. The kitchen cooks with passion and precision from local, seasonal produce, with a cellar of more than 80 regional wines and the local blanquette de Limoux, and three meeting rooms suit weddings and events. The medieval Cite de Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rises about 40 kilometers north down the valley, with its double ring of ramparts and 52 towers among the best-preserved in Europe.

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Customer reviews

Travellers choice
Tripadvisor
4.4
based on 669 guest reviews
Excellent
410
Very Good
177
Average
54
Poor
19
Terrible
9
Cleanliness
Location
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Value
"A unique castle experience with great vibe and restaurant"
CORKROSS, 09 Août 2026

Excellent stay in a unique hotel- We had a duplex family room which was so great when traveling with young teenagers. The staff could not be friendlier and we had fantastic meals in the restaurant both nights. The pool is lovely and there were bikes to go exploring. We would definitely come back!

"A step back in time"
RPaulin, 14 Juillet 2026

We had really a wonderful time in the hotel. The staff, especially Madeleine at reception, the director who told us about the history of the hotel, and the young men serving dinner. The bedroom was fresh and cool, even during this heatwave so we had the best night's sleep we've had in a long time. The food was excellent. We hope to return very soon!

"Stunning experience, location and food"
Andrew W, 22 Septembre 2025

Fantastic food well above expectations. Lovely ambiance and great services. There are 2 menu's and we were able to get a full vegetarian menu by swapping items between menus. Recommend Gaujal half bottle of wine from a coastal vineyard with a salty aftertaste, interesting.

Owner Response, 22 Septembre 2025

Good Evening, thank you for choosing the Château des Ducs de Joyeuse for your stay in the Haute Vallée de l'Aude. We are delighted to read your positive impression of our establishment. We will share your message with our team, who strives every day to provide an unforgettable experience for our guests. We remain at your disposal for any further information. Sincerely,

"A place to remember"
Dennis M, 07 Août 2025

Wonderful hotel in a real chateau, with all the terrific ambiance that entails. Great welcome, with Romain speaking fluent English. Fabulous restaurant in the courtyard of the hotel, with attentive waiters (Xavier in particular). Scrumptious dishes (only exception was the ceviche, a bit lacking in flavor). We hope to return for the holidays, Christmas and New Year's.

Owner Response, 07 Août 2025

Dear Veloman, thank you for choosing the Château des Ducs de Joyeuse, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, for your stay in the upper Aude Valley. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed your stay in our beautiful château. We remain at your disposal for any further information. We look forward to welcoming you back to our beautiful château soon. See you soon.

"Sublime Experience."
Destination578408, 29 Juillet 2025

An incredible Castle, it made me feel like a Queen. The very attentive staff, the comfort of the rooms, the peace and tranquillity that is accompanied by the sound of the river. I was particularly impressed by the restaurant. The dishes were very well cared for, they looked like a painting with an explosion of flavours. A special Thank You to Xavier and Romain for all your care and attentions. Emanuela

Owner Response, 29 Juillet 2025

Dear Emanuela, thank you for choosing the Château des Ducs de Joyeuse, BW Signature Collection by Best Western, for your stay in the upper Aude Valley. We are delighted to read that you enjoyed your stay in our beautiful château. We remain at your disposal for any further information. We look forward to welcoming you back to our beautiful château soon. See you soon.

"So sad it was the end of an amazing era at the Chateau"
735granth, 16 Juillet 2025

To start with I would like to say that we have been coming here for 15 years and before it became a Corporate business it was outstanding, you were made to feel so welcome. It was so lovely and all staff were very attentive then. We always looked forward to the experience of dining in the fabulous courtyard, it had such ambiance. How it changed this year. We arrived after having driven 2 hours up from the coast to be greeted with "Dinner is off tonight, you will have to go elsewhere" and were given a couple of choices , some meant driving again. We were told it was because their fridges had broken. ( we did end up going to a fabulous local restaurant where our custom was appreciated) The female staff member then took us the wrong way to our room and it was extremely hot by then. We booked bed and breakfast last year to stay at the Chateau and we booked a table for dinner in January this year. We went to the bar area to have a drink, another place where there used to be oodles of ambiance, to eventually be told by the maître d' "I'll get someone to serve you" why he couldn't, I don't know, as he had just served someone else? A young lad came out, who didn't speak French and had trouble getting our drinks, the maître d' had to show him how to do it. We noticed later in the evening that 2 a large tables were being set for Dinner for some other guests. When checking out we were asked if our stay was good and I explained that it was not and asked why we were told we could not have the dinner experience but others could. We were told by the manager it was because they had booked half board. Is room, breakfast and dinner not half board? We had this booked a good 6 months prior to our visit. I'm just so disappointed that this piece of our annual homage to Couiza has been spoiled as we will not go back again to the Chateau. So sad.

"Restaurant review - Almost inedible food and terrible service"
Edward P, 02 Mai 2025

This is solely for the food at the restaurant that we ate in, and not the hotel. But...I simply had to write a review because of how disgusting the meal was. Genuinely one of the worst meals of my life. The food was trying way too hard, yet it had a very small menu, so minimal complicated dishes. Just tried to be too fancy. e.g. 3 different sauces on each plate, multiple textures, and yet the fish or meat was overcooked. Also - 7 tables eating and two waiters...who made it seem like there were 70 tables. Fawlty Towers esque and neither of them bothered ot ask why none of the 6 of us finished any of our plates each course. We genuinely were laughing about the meal just past on the way home.

Owner Response, 02 Mai 2025

Dear customer, what can I say in the face of such a review? After a large number of beers and bottles of wine, you made the waiter's life hell. When the appetizers, main courses, and desserts arrived, you couldn't even tell what you had ordered. We look forward to seeing you again at our establishment. Sincerely,

"Maybe in time it will get better???"
Luv2Go6, 08 Août 2024

We had high expectations for this hotel and all fell short by far since we booked on recommendation of a trusted source. Unfortunately neither of us knew that the property sold thus management changed shortly before we arrived. Disaster. Chaotic, awkward arrival-not welcoming at all and confusion when we asked for help with our bags. When we got to our room the a/c was not on and it was an oven. They tried to get it going but didn't know how it worked. Finally after trying unsuccessfully to get to sleep my husband climbed up on a chair and got it working. Not a great first impression. Dinners-very limited menu clearly designed for groups, nothing special at all and somewhat odd to tell the truth. Servers were awkward and barely trained, breakfast staff in the morning were headed by a scowling woman and the same awkward servers from the evenings. We got the impression they were afraid of the scowling boss. Cannot recommend this hotel.

Owner Response, 08 Août 2024

Dear Madam. We are dismayed to read such a review. Indeed the castle changed owners this winter. Our 16th century castle, classified as a Historic Monument, has remained the same. We will not fail to share your impressions with our team who give their best every day in order to offer our customers a unique experience, some have been employed by the castle for over 17 years. The kitchen offers 4 menus on the summer menu as with the former owners (the first at €45, the second at €65, and two tasting menus). The receptionist who received you and who refused to take care of your luggage is the same as last year with the former owners. During your next stay, do not hesitate to contact the former owners who will be happy to provide you with a guest room at their home. Best regards,

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