Relais & Châteaux

Relais & Châteaux is an international association of independent hotels and restaurants founded in France in 1954 as Relais de Campagne by eight hoteliers on the Paris-to-Nice route. It became Relais & Châteaux in 1975. About 580 properties in 65 countries (2025), and roughly half are renowned gastronomic restaurants, including most of the world's three-Michelin-starred kitchens. Membership is by co-option around the 5 C's: Character, Courtesy, Calm, Charm, Cuisine. The association signed a heritage manifesto at UNESCO in 2014. For travelers, the label guarantees independent ownership (no chain hotels) and intimate scale, typically under 100 keys.