L'ORANGERAIE

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.

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.