Hotel of the Week: The New Maison 1896 Is Perfect for Exploring the Burgundy Wine Region

“We wanted to add a new level of service and hospitality, while creating a home-away-from-home for our guests visiting the region,” Fink says.

The circa 1896 building sits directly atop the ancient castrum built by the Romans who settled in Beaune roughly 2,000 years ago. After a complete restoration, the historic façade now beams with local limestone and open-louver shutters which were brought back to their original shade of green. The interiors were overseen by the French-born, California-based designer Estelle Fabre, who drew inspiration from the building’s Beaux-Arts style architectural details.

“I imagined Maison 1896 as a vigneron’s home passed from one generation to the next,” she says. “I wanted to create an elegant and welcoming place, where all the details convey warmth, comfort, and joie de vivre, which is the epitome of Burgundy’s way of life.”

The property has 16 unique guest rooms equipped with luxurious finishes such as Victoria + Albert bathtubs and heated stone floors, plus French Neoclassical touches like writing desks and Louis Philippe-style mirrors, along with elegant chandeliers, and herringbone wood floors. Fusing color and comfort, Fabre combined a medley of palettes, including camel and honey reminiscent of the region’s omnipresent oak barrels, with sleek leathers and plush velvets, all of which give the décor a subdued, timeless opulence. Some of the rooms, like those on the top floor, even boast dormer windows overlooking the colorful, geometric patterns of the Hospices’ roof.

Back downstairs, locals and visitors flock to the cozy bar, filled with an assortment of rare spirits and the best of Burgundy wines, including a notable repertoire of old vintages. The wine program was overseen by Mark Bright, the co-founder, winemaker, and wine director of San Francisco’s Saison Hospitality. The hotel’s Salon Privé, or library, is another popular gathering space, with its original stained-glass windows, sumptuous velvet settees, and built-in-bookshelves featuring an extensive collection of books on Burgundy.

Most notable, perhaps, is the opening of Slanted Door Beaune, helmed by the James Beard Award-winning chef Charles Phan. The arrival of this celebrated French Vietnamese restaurant marks the first international location for the San Francisco chef, and his first-ever breakfast concept.

Diners can enjoy many of Slanted Door’s classic dishes, like shaking beef, steamed spareribs, and clay pot chicken in the new restaurant space, the private dining room, or in the attractive courtyard atrium. The latter has a retractable glass roof and floors made of radiant-heated French limestone, making this the only place for year-round outdoor dining in all of Beaune.

“I have always loved the wines of Burgundy, and David and I have been longtime friends,” Phan shares. “When he told me about his new project in France, I knew it was another step for me to grow, focus on the beautiful local ingredients surrounding Beaune, and bring a special, unique experience to this incredible destination.”