Chateau du Sureau – A Relais & Chateaux property near Yosemite National Park
The proprietress of the chateau is Erna Kubin-Clanin. In 1984, Miss Erna (as she is known) opened the fine dining restaurant, Erna’s Elderberry House, named for the wild elderberries that grow on the property. (Sureau is French for elderberry). The recipient of many awards, the dining experience at the restaurant is truly elegant and Chef de Cuisine Jonathon Perkins’s dishes and flavors were outstanding.
Miss Erna with Sophie (Photo courtesy of Chateau du Sureau)
Erna’s Elderberry House
The atmosphere at the restaurant is elegant and intimate
Several of our courses from dinner at Erna’s Elderberry House
A romantic evening
Recognizing the need to accommodate out of town guests that were visiting the highly acclaimed restaurant, Erna undertook the construction of Chateau du Sureau. The ten-room stucco style chateau is located adjacent to the restaurant and was completed in 1991. To bring authenticity to the property, Erna traveled the world filling the chateau with fine antiques, tapestries, and 19th century art to recreate the look and feel of European elegance. Over the years, Miss Erna extended the offerings of the property by adding a private villa, spa, cooking classes, and special event coordination. With views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the distance, it is the perfect idyllic setting.
View from the second floor of the property
Strolling through the gardens and pool area
The attention to detail from the moment you arrive is what sets this small luxury property apart. A warm greeting by one of the staff offers a private tour of the property followed by a glass of wine or other refreshment served either in the living room or delivered to the guest’s room with a tray of freshly prepared snacks. There were also delightful baked goods left in the room to enjoy during our stay and a lovely breakfast served the following morning. The service is attentive, yet unobtrusive.
Freshly baked goods to greet guests
A perfect Gugelhupf to share for two
The rooms are luxurious and comfortable and are filled with the antiques Miss Erna has personally selected for each room in the chateau. Opening the windows and looking out over the property, we were once again reminded of our past travels to Italy and could not believe we were so close to Yosemite. A quick stroll over to Erna’s Elderberry House for dinner was the perfect way to take in the complete, yet brief and delightful stay at Chateau du Sureau.
Our accommodations for our stay – The Lavender Room
Another view or our room and the balcony overlooking the front of the property
The view from our balcony was breathtaking
The side entrance to Erna’s Elderberry House
I can’t imagine a better romantic getaway than traveling to central California to experience the beauty of Yosemite while enjoying the elegance of Chateau du Sureau. Ms. Erna’s labor of love is evident in her long days spent on the property assuring that each and every guest’s needs are attended to along with her nightly visits to Erna’ Elderberry House to oversee the restaurant and chat with diners from all over the world. We look forward to a return trip and a longer time spent exploring the property, the town of Oakhurst, and Yosemite.
Gwen with the gracious hostess and proprietor, Miss Erna
There will be another article on Yosemite National Park coming very shortly, so stay tuned.
Disclosure – We received a media rate from Chateau du Sureau. We were not compensated in any way for any article written about our stay and the opinions expressed are our own.
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