L'ORANGERAIE

The property has a marvelous look, especially the pool which is surrounded by palm trees and heated, even late September. But inside, the house is very old and the bathroom doesn't look like a 3 stars hotel should look. Moreover the house keeping was not perfect. The restaurant offers nice dinner and the waiter was very nice.

I have very mixed feelings about the Hotel L'Orangeraie, as it offers a lovely setting with a pool and sea views but overall, I think that it doesn't offer offer value for money given the very basic rooms and the indifferent service, although I should note the exception- the gentleman that was on the front desk the first week of September was friendly and helpful. The building has so much potential but it's clear that there has been little investment the interior for a while. We had a "comfort" room, and were quite surprised how austere it was, i.e. the "wardrobe" was a basic metal frame, and the bathroom had mouldy tiles and the shower was close to falling off the wall. The room numbers are marked by large stickers, which really detracts from the grandeur of the halls. They also have an odd obsession with towels not being provided for the pool - at more than €200 a night, I think this is inappropriate. The location is pleasant, about 10 minutes to Gigaro beach, and 20 mins drive to Pampelonne beach (highly recommended). A car is necessary, and there is abundant, free parking, which is positive. It's a few minutes drive or about 10 mins walk (with no pavement, so not recommended in the evening) to the small town of Croix Valmer, with a few restaurants and shops. Lastly, there was some confusion about the bill when I checked out, as the invoice had the wrong dates on it. When I questioned this, the woman didn't apologise and just snapped at me that I should just treat it as if the correct date was there, as the amount would be the same. This was not a great way to end a stay.

It is a stunning building (exterior) with delightful views over vineyards to the sea; but the rooms & bathrooms - especially corridors and public spaces - are in urgent need of a 21st Century upgrade: get rid of the daft Cinderella drapes above the bed head and put in a shower door to stop the bathroom floor from flooding. Although on a minor road it is quiet & peaceful. The staff are friendly & competant enough, especially in the restaurant where the food was also correct for the price. A nice pool with sunbathing terrace, and good easy parking. I recommend renting bikes from BlueBikes just down the road - but get electric bikes because there are hills in every direction!

Looks spectacular from the outside but a little less so on the inside. The corridors are utilitarian and spartan but you don't spend time there. The bedroom was quirky in a rustic style but comfortable enough - and with an amazing sea view looking over to Cavalaire-sur-Mer. The best part of the hotel was the pool area with a great, swimm-able pool, comfortable loungers and plenty of them. We had dinner on the terrace the first night which was absolutely delicious and the maitre d'hotel was extremely attentive, professional and helpful. He was also serving at the pool the following day and again, friendly, helpful & professional. Salad or sandwich lunches around the pool were very tasty. Breakfast is varied with a lot of choice and is served in the sunshine on the outdoor terrace - a great way to start the day. Gardens are colourful and add to the ambience. Overall a good stay. Not cheap, but probably not too bad for the area.

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.