L'ORANGERAIE

During the season, for both residents and non-residents, the hotel lays on dinner with entertainment by the pool. Monday was latin music and we were lucky to get the last table. The entertainer was excellent, playing non-stop from 7:30 to 11 with lots of people dancing. Then he switched to records and ran a dance class for an hour, salsa, samba, lambada & Macarena, with most people joining in. Then there was the food - a wide choice of well-prepared and presented dishes that were delicious. The food was good value for money but the drinks were pricey.

My wife and I are staying (at this very moment) in this *LOVELY* hotel ... *EVERYTHING* is perfect ... A feeling of a total tranquility, peace and relaxation - in the heart of the *most* touristy region around Saint Tropez, France, in the midst of the French & European Holiday season. The staff is just WONDERFUL! Special thanks to the two ladies at the Front Desk : Mme Marion & Mme Corinne... Check this place out! You will *NOT* regret...

The first impression of the hotel combined with the online photographs suggest it will be sensational, but it is not that at all and disappoints quite a lot. GOOD POINTS: Good Value for the area Great location, sea view rooms give a lovely view Very pleasant pool area Looks brilliant in approach BAD POINTS Interior is really quite drab, corridors are spartan, it was an orphanage originally I believe Rooms adequate only, cleanliness OK Badly lacking in atmosphere, no buzz at all Staff at reception OK only, usually just one person on duty They are clearly short of money as evidenced by several factors: Gardens have areas in need of attention Parts of the building need urgent attention (windows virtually no paint left) No towels provided for pool! Hardly any staff (gates close at 9.00pm) Pool and bar staff are sweet but clearly unskilled minimum wagers (students I guess) Pool and terrace restaurant furniture quite dilapidated and in need of upgrade We had lunch on the terrace one day. My Nicoise salad looked and tasted very good indeed, a very well presented dish. My wife’s Caesar also looked good, but buried in there was a large live beetle. The message relayed from the chef via the young waitress was “not my fault, must have happened outside” but clearly his fault, he had simply not been careful in preparation. This meal was added to the bill and I had to ask to have it removed. You could argue there is always a chance of this happening, (although chef was not rushed off his feet, we were the only diners), but as they say, when things go wrong it is an opportunity to impress with service, they didn’t. Meal apart, we might consider returning if the other points were fixed, but it needs millions spending on it and I can’t see it happening, so we won’t return.

Fundamentally, it's nowhere near as good as it looks, but overall it's good value as prices here are high. The photographs on the website, combined with the impressive first impression, suggest the hotel will be absolutely sensational, but it isn't.

We stayed in this hotel for 5 nights. A room on the first floor or above is recommended for wonderful views out over the pool to the sea. Ground floor rooms open directly on to the hotel's terrace, which could be noisy if other guests are sitting outside. We were initially given a ground floor room but asked to be moved to the first floor. Our room was comfortable and clean, although easy chairs would have added to the room. One area for improvement would be the tea and coffee making facilities, which weren't replenished during our stay. The buffet breakfast had plenty of choice, lovely fresh fruit and baked items - completely self service unless you order the Continental breakfast. We had lunch on arrival, but had to make a quick choice as the restaurant was closing at 2pm! We also had dinner at the hotel on our first night, the food and service was excellent. The outdoor eating area lacked atmosphere, but we would eat in the restaurant again. The hotel would also benefit from an indoor lounge bar area. We would have had a drink on return to the hotel, but it was a little chilly for sitting outside - a missed opportunity by the hotel. The poolside bar service was very good, but bear in mind it doesn't open until at 3pm. We booked through an on-line booking portal and received a discounted price. We would stay again on the same basis, but probably would not pay the full advertised tariff. Overall a great stay and we would revisit at the right price as such a lovely location.