Burgundy

Burgundy is a landscape shaped as much by monks and winemakers as by architects. Dijon brings medieval streets, Renaissance hôtels particuliers and the legacy of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, while Beaune is surrounded by some of the most celebrated vineyards on earth. The colourful glazed roof of the Hospices de Beaune has become an architectural shorthand for the region, but beyond it lie Romanesque abbeys, châteaux, stone villages, farmhouses and centuries-old wine estates. Cluny and Vézelay reveal Burgundy’s extraordinary religious heritage, while the vineyard slopes of the Côte d’Or demonstrate a different kind of design: tiny parcels of land, walls and villages refined over generations into a cultural landscape where almost every metre seems to have a name.

Food and wine are impossible to separate here. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate the vineyards, but Burgundy’s fascination lies in how dramatically those grapes change from one village—or sometimes one vineyard—to the next. Chablis, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée are destinations in themselves. The kitchen is equally serious: œufs en meurette, jambon persillé, escargots, Charolais beef, Époisses and dishes enriched with butter, cream and, naturally, wine. Michelin-starred restaurants coexist with traditional bistros and vineyard tables, making Burgundy particularly dangerous for anyone planning a light lunch.

Burgundy’s most interesting hotels occupy former monasteries, wine estates, châteaux, village houses and increasingly sophisticated contemporary buildings among the vines. The best retain the region’s sense of history without turning it into costume drama, combining old stone and craftsmanship with restrained modern design. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, wine and landscape become inseparable—hotels that understand Burgundy is less somewhere you visit than somewhere you eat and drink your way through, preferably very slowly.