Chateau du Sureau

Named for the abundance of elderberry bushes encompassing it, Chateau du Sureau is an 18th century European fairytale brought to life in the heart of Yosemite. Conceived by the multi-talented Erna Kubin-Clanin, this prestigious Relais & Chateaux castle-hotel sits on a romantic nine-acre estate dedicated to blending the classic charm and tradition of Provencal France with central California’s verdant landscape.

Property Details

Outfitted in Parisian balconies, shuttered windows, and a stone turret, Chateau du Sureau evokes a romance and luxury affiliated with only the finest European chateaux. The quaint, ten-bedroom stucco inn is resplendent inside and out, enveloping each of its guests in a bygone Old World hospitality and ambience, the kind where chambermaids in white linen aprons present welcome tea offerings and where every corner is filled with hand-picked centuries-old antiques and tapestries. There is no front desk or check in here, only ten elegant chambers each named for and decorated after one of the herbs and flowers grown on the estate. Filled with fireplaces, canopy beds, arched windows, and fine art, many of the bedrooms also feature oversized soaking tubs, L’Occitane bath amenities, and private balconies overlooking the grounds and Sierra Nevada Mountains. Butlers and chambermaids are known to go the extra mile, pampering guests with fresh flower arrangements from the garden, morning deliveries of coffee, and evening turn down treats. For a more secluded stay, the private two-bedroom Villa Sureau sits on a separate corner of the property and features its own secured gate entrance, private outdoor Roman Spa, and personal butler.

Chateau du Sureau is surrounded by nine acres of meticulously-landscaped grounds, its walking tree-lined paths, sparkling fountains, swimming pool, bocce court, and life-size chess set all adding to the countryside charm. Guests are bound to notice the bounteous Elderberry bushes, whose blossoms and fruit are utilized everywhere, from the body treatments at Spa du Sureau to the sauces at the inn’s award-winning Erna’s Elderberry House Restaurant. Led by Chef de Cuisine Jonathon Perkins and Pastry Chef Russell Wheeler, Erna’s is a complete food and wine experience, showcasing the freshest California produce in sophisticated French dishes like braised rabbit or roasted duck breast. The key to service at the restaurant is a willingness to please, whether through a classic European crepe breakfast, an exciting daily changing prix fixe five-course menu, or a 725-label wine cellar representing only the best selections from California and around the world. Erna’s Elderberry House Restaurant is also the Yosemite region’s premiere cooking school and regularly offers half-day and three-day cooking classes for guests.

Chateau du Sureau has an enviable location just 16 miles from the entrance of Yosemite National Park and serves as an ideal base from which to explore the park’s dramatic waterfalls, towering granite cliffs, extensive dome hiking trails, and old-growth forests. The region is a photographer’s delight, featuring North America’s tallest waterfall, three Giant Sequoia groves, and the pristine wilderness of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The year-round lure of the surrounding nature is ideal for leisurely past times such as horseback riding, fly-fishing, river rafting, and picnics.