Article Featured in the “San Francisco Chronicle”: “This fall my husband and I stayed at Chateau de Siorac in the Dordogne region of France. Owners Jose and Diana Serrano left New Jersey to restore this beautiful 16th century chateau. The Serranos, who speak French, English and Spanish, are the warmest hosts we have ever encountered. They are very familiar with the region and its history, and gave suggestions that made our stay even more memorable. Each bedroom has a private bath. The rooms are all beautifully furnished and include modern amenities. The grounds include a swimming pool, many walking paths and horses.” EVELYN and TOM HELLER, Oakland (USA)

Issue 11 “Live Marketing News” November 2005: “In the heart of the Dordogne, just 10 minutes from the beautiful cathedral city of Perigueux is the stunning Chateau de Siorac. A 16th century chateau, lovingly restored by owners Jose and Diana Serrano, there are just 6 rooms on offer, most set out as suites and all offering luxury bathrooms. The venue – set in its own 40 acre grounds – is perfect for romantic retreats, but could also the ideal base for a company looking for a senior Executive’s retreat. Food – breakfast and evening meals – are first-rate, in terms of both quality and quantity, and the owners are on hand to deliver exceptional customer service. Communication links are excellent; the airport at Bergerac is just 30 minutes away has daily flights from the UK with various low-cost airlines”. Richard and Tracy John (UK)

Dear Jose and Diana, I may well be the only person to have cried because they were leaving somewhere to go to Paris. But that is what I did the morning I left your beautiful Chateau after two wonderful weeks. My stay at Chateau Siorac exceeded all my expectations. It was exactly what I was looking for and It was the perfect place to celebrate a significant birthday milestone with friends and family and use as a base to introduce them to the beautiful Dordogne. You have done a beautiful and faithful restoration and I enjoyed hearing your story of how you came to make Chateau Siorac your home and its fascinating history. After two weeks it felt like home to me (or how I would like home to be!), due in no small part to your generous hospitality, wonderful cooking, and very comfortable living quarters you provided. My stay will be remembered as the best holiday experience. Margaret Jolly

Dear friends and colleagues: I would not usually do this, however, Tim and I have fallen upon the most breathtaking French chateau in the Dordogne – I simply could not, not share it with you! It was so much more than we expected…! It is without question one of the most amazing places that either of us have had the fortune to stay. Jose and Diana could not have made us feel more welcome. They have lovingly restored their C16th chateau to glorious splendour and it feels more like a lavish home than a hotel (or a museum!). The chateau has 40 acres of forest to explore and the surrounding villages are exquisite. It is pretty much a 2.5 hour door to door trip (or at least for us) and there are regular flights from both Southampton & Standstead to Bergerac with a 40 minute drive to the Chateau. Jose is a fabulous chef and will cook up a feast of local produce at your request and Diana’s breakfasts are simply gorgeous. (Gentlemen – if you are in the bad books this is most definitely the way out!) I guarantee you will love it. Lee (UK)

Dear Jose and Diana, Happy New Year to you and your family. We want to say how special our time at your Chateau was. It was, simply put, a trip of a lifetime. The Chateau, your hospitality, and all of the wonderful things in the Dordogne – architecture, food, people, prehistoric art, wine, bicycling through wonderful villages – seemed like the best possible part of France. At Christmas we enjoyed cooking with some of the things we brought home… there’s not a day that passes that I still think of some amazing memory from your home. Many Blessings, Susan

Bonjour Diana and Jose, I wanted to thank you again for an amazing week at your chateau. It will be an unforgettable vacation for all of us. You two have done a wonderful job making it a welcoming and beautiful place to stay. We loved the meals you prepared also. Thanks again, Cassandra Claman, Michigan USA

First, I wanted to thank Diana for her tender care when I came down with a cold and chills. Everyone else was envious of the extra attention I received. We were among the 11 folks who you hosted recently. The chateau is unique and lovely providing a wonderful place from which to operate. The food you prepared for several of evenings was outstanding. This was one of the best trips we have experienced, and I recommend your chateau to anyone wishing to visit the Dordogne region. Thanks, Dick and Helen Adorjan USA

What a spectacular week we spent at your chateau! Your wonderful meals, your smiling faces and your ever present enthusiasm contributed to our fabulous reunion. Thank you for everything. Joyce Coleman

Dear Jose and Diana, a BIG THANK YOU from all of us for making Nick’s 40th Birthday weekend so perfect. The Chateau is 100% more beautiful in real life and it was a real treat having the run of the place, choosing which of the bedrooms each would have, (readers…they’re all bloody gorgeous !!)and having so much luxury and space around. The recommendation of the Restaurant Hercule Poireau in Perigueux… Five Star !! and having you both prepare our meal and look after us on the last night, superb. Lastly what makes the stay really so special is you yourselves… always at hand when required but never overbearing. Once again A BIG THANK YOU. xx us all, Andy Hayward

Dear Jose and Diana, we enjoyed the stay last week and the Chateau was wonderful. The service and everything was great, we highly recommend this place. Families or friends get together where you can relax and just have time for each other. Great place. We will be back! Regards, Ewa and George

Our family (16 of us!) recently shared an incredible week at the Chateau Siorac. Our ages ranged from 2 to 59, including a few teenagers. Without exception, everyone loved the chateau and its hosts, Diana and Jose. Whether our activities involved just hanging out together, enjoying the chateau and eating Jose’s amazing and abundant dinners, or going our separate ways to explore the surrounding area, there was something for everyone. Thank you, Jose and Diana, for an unforgettable vacation! Sincerely, Gayle Weinberg, Whitefish, Montana, U.S.A.

Jose and Diana – We couldn’t have been more pleased with our stay in your exquisite chateau. The restorations are world class – and the accommodations were refined and elegant. Our large family had entrusted me with all of the planning for our trip abroad and I was relieved when the gates opened upon our arrival at the chateau, and I heard a collective “awww…” and witnessed 11 dropped jaws… Your hospitality and generosity will not be forgotten. We will return in the very near future and definitely extend our stay next time around – if not to absorb more of the charming Dordogne, then to soak up more of the ambiance you’ve created at the chateau. Thanks again Seth, Texas, USA

Hi Jose and Diana, Just wanted to say thanks again for the great time we had the week of June 24. You’ve done a great job with the chateau. We enjoyed meeting you in person (after receiving your many helpful emails in the months leading up to our visit), and had a great time touring, eating and drinking in the Dordogne. We look forward to visiting again in the not too distant future. Regards, Bruce and Deb

Jose and Diana, Many thanks for your warm hospitality during our stay at your beautiful Chateau. Meeting you and Diana and our stay at Chateau de Siorac was the highlight of our trip. The work you have done in restoring the Chateau is incredible and I have to say, I truly loved the Périgord region. Highlights of our trip include: a) the long walks and runs through your property and the many many trails (next time I am definitely doing some mountain biking); b) marveling at your beautiful horses; c) your hospitality and cooking (I can still taste the incredible duck confit and scallops); enjoying the ice cold Kronenberg by the pool; and d) our trips to Sarlat, Domme, Beynac, Monbazillac, Brantome, etc. (as well as your restaurant recommendations in Brantome and Perigueux which were perfect!) Thanks again. We look forward to the many stories we will hear from all our friends we recommend to make the journey to Chateau de Siorac. Sean and Lopa USA

Hi Diana and Jose We wanted to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to you for such a fabulous stay in your Chateau and in your company. Chateau Siorac is breathtaking, the restorations you have carried out are amazing, you have sympathetically recreated the masterpiece it originally was, yet still managed to bring brought it into the 21st century with the luxury touches of the ensuite bathrooms and the soft furnishings. Having had a full guided tour of the Chateau I don’t think I could actually choose a favourite room, as they were all exquisite. India has enjoyed telling her friends that she stayed in a ‘real Castle’. We’ve got to say though, that the most impressive part of our stay was your superb hospitality, not to mention the delicious cuisine. Claire and Allan (Newcastle, England)

We’ve just arrived back from Chateau Siorac – it was fantastic!!! Jose and Diana were fabulous hosts, it was perfect for the kids and the food was spot on!! We are all discussing our next visit. Thanks. Kirsten et al (UK)

Hi Jose and Diana, I wanted to be sure and send you both a heart felt thank you from me, my family and my friends. You helped to make our already fabulous vacation even more wonderful every day that we were at the Chateau. We are all home safely now and we have such incredible memories of France thanks in part to you both. I want to personally thank you, Jose, for the time and attention you gave to Lily with the horses and to Alex with the Internet. I really appreciate all the time you spent on those things! We are all telling the great ghost stories of Chateau Siorac and are passing along information about our stay. We all would like to return, you may not have seen the last of us! Jennifer et al (California)

Hola Don Jose y Doña Diana, Como se encuentran? bueno nosotros aca, mas bien yo en Italia y Max en Irlanda extrañando el buen clima, la buena compañia y la buena comida! De nuevo MIL GRACIAS por su calurosa y cordial atencion, estas pasan a ser nuestras vacaciones preferidas. Lucia y Max (Argentina)

Hi, Just writing to say what a brilliant time we had in your chateau last week. Thank you for being excellent hosts and preparing such lovely meals for us. None of us wanted to leave, as you could probably tell, and we will always have fond memories of our holiday – maybe we’ll visit again sometime. Diane and Steve (UK)