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relais

relais

1 9.9
A small hotel in the countryside that offers food and rooms to travelers
  • noun
  • /rəˈleɪ/
  • UK
translation icon : relais
  • Andouillette with mustard sauce at Le Relais Champenois in Sézanne.
  • Relais & Châteaux
  • prestigious relais
  • relais & Châteaux property

Examples

  • The three of them were having lunch in the Relais Plaza of the Plaza Athénée hotel in Paris, having spent the morning going over ideas for the transformation of the old house.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I think one was in the Relais & Chéteaux which is my bible.

  • That evening, Luc had taken her to dinner at the Relais Plaza, and the night before, they had eaten at Grand Vefour.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • I began to cultivate my skills and aspirations at the age of 15 when I embarked on my first apprenticeship at the Relais de Poitiers hotel.

    Blog text (10)
  • Stay overnight at premiere inns—restored farmhouses and villas with gardens, spas, and pools—most of which are Relais & Châteaux members.

    Blog text (4)
  • More on Troyes at a later date; for the moment, the big news is that I found a little homey bistro, Le Relais Champenois, in the Champagne-growing town of Sezanne, that serves what is probably the greatest andouillette I've ever had.

    Blog text (18)
  • We stayed at a charming relais in the countryside of France, which offered cozy accommodations and delicious meals.

  • After a long day of traveling, we found a delightful relais that provided a perfect retreat for the night.

  • During our road trip, we chose a relais as our stopping place, enjoying its welcoming atmosphere and stunning views.

Synonyms

inn
vsrelais
239 1.0

A small hotel in the countryside that offers rooms and meals

is mainly a small stop for travelers rather than a combined eatery and lodging
lodging
vsrelais
50 3.4

A place where you stay for a short time or a short stay there

is a particular small stop with rooms for travelers, not the general act
auberge
vsrelais
1 9.9

A small hotel or inn with a French style that offers rooms to guests

is less focused on French style and more neutral in character
hostelry
vsrelais
  • Archaic
1 8.0

A place like a hotel that offers rooms for travelers to stay overnight

is a more informal, local small stopping place rather than formal lodging
rest house
vsrelais
  • Archaic
1 4.6

A building where travelers can sleep and rest

is a small lodging offering rooms and services rather than only a shelter
tourist court
vsrelais
  • Archaic
7.7

A small roadside hotel or group of cabins where you can park near your room

is a general small stopping place not limited to roadside cabins or historical era
lodgings
vsrelais
3.3

Temporary rooms you rent to stay in for a short time

is the specific small stopping place for travelers rather than any rented room

How Comfortable

hotel
1.0
relais
  • UK
1 9.9
inn
239 1.0
hostel
34 2.1
campsite
46 1.4

Surface Forms

relais singular
relais plural

Etymology

The word relais comes from French for a roadside station where travelers once stopped to rest and change horses, and it is the same root as the English relay, which meant a 'change' or 'handing over'. So a relais is a place to stop and pass on the journey.