Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort

Oh dear. Maybe it was because it's the end of the summer, but our return to Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort after many years was such a disappointment. We booked a table for a Sunday lunch in September to celebrate an important wedding anniversary. The hotel grounds & view are lovely, but the receptionist on the ground floor greeting us lacked any smile or warmth, just a perfunctuary "Bonjour". First impressions were not great. We picked the cheapest set menu "Au bord de L'Endre" for €95pp. The first 3 courses were excellent, the stand-out dish being ravioli with foie gras & olive oil. However it was the main courses that were a disaster: my wife had roasted monkfish which was very overcooked, hard & rubbery, with a sauce so strong that it drowned any taste of the fish. She left half of it uneaten. I had a tiny portion of veal which was correctly cooked, but incredibly tough - a real effort was needed to cut or chew it. Next was a goat's cheese dish in the style of a crème brûlée; that was simply inedible - a terrible mélange of tastes so bad that after one spoonful, both of us left the rest. The final dish, a raspberry dessert, was good. Apart from the main courses being bad, the other thing that we noticed was, just like the receptionist, our waiter was charmless, uncaring & robotic. The dishes came & were cleared too quickly - remember this was a Sunday lunch when no one is in a hurry - we felt rushed. But for us the biggest issue was that no member of staff cared that my wife had left half her monkfish uneaten & both of us had left our cheese course almost untouched. Any restaurant of this quality & price ought to have asked, firstly, what the issue is and secondly, how the chef might make amends. So it was the poor attitude to us as guests, together with poor food, that will be our lasting memory of what we had hoped would be a celebratory lunch.

Fantastic staff. Extremely courteous and helpful. Michelin star restaurant to cater to all your needs. Pool and wellness centre straight out of a painting. Extremely calm and surrounded by nature. An outdoor seating area both in front and back of the suite. Great breakfast. Just maybe the room quality can be a bit better. But overall outstanding stay in the lap of nature.

Beautiful grounds and surroundings. Served as a great home base to visit some wineries/vineyards in the area. The room was very clean and full of character. We had dinner at the (previously) Michelin-rated restaurant, which was pretty good too. The staff was very professional and friendly.

We have visited many fine restaurants throughout Europe and North America over the years. Apart from "Daniel" in NY, this was probably our second favorite dining experience. The dishes were absolutely incredible. We were with a group, some of whom were hesitant to try the tasting menu as they had allergies which were ignored in other supposed "fine" restaurants. Although those persons opted for a la carte, the chef insisted that they have the full gastronomic experience and customized tasting dishes that fit their needs. The wine choices were rare and exciting. The staff were knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly and classy without being snooty. I would recommend this establishment to even the most discerning of patrons.

From the moment we arrived we were made to feel welcome. The room (standard room) was small but nicely appointed and clean. Facilities in the room are good but I think there should be tea and coffee making facilities in addition. The pool area is very attractive and there is a bar on the terrace. However we were shocked to pay €25 for a glass of rose wine and a bottle of beer. In fact, having failed to check out the dinner menu in advance, this made us fear for our bank balance! However, although the dinner menu was pricey (for us) it was utterly amazing and worth every penny. We chose the ‘menu decouverte’ (€85) which appeared as a four course menu. However the chef’s surprises increased this to twelve courses!! The food was incredible and plentiful - such a treat! The wine varied in price - we selected the cheapest rose at €50 which we felt was delicious. The staff were attentive and friendly without being intrusive. After 7 days travelling around this region, this was our best experience without a doubt. Do not hesitate to visit 😊

We stayed at the hotel for a few nights. The reception staff, accommodation and pool were lovely. The food at the restaurant was amazing and a true delight to sample the great work of Philippe Da Silva! We opted for the prestige menu and it was great. Unfortunately the service we received was very disappointing. At times forgotten about and they chose to serve others who were not even waiting before us. The flow of the menu was missed and it really impacted our experience. Such a shame for a wonderful place. We have all received disappointing service at times but none to ever make me post on Trip Advisor.

The food is pretty good. Staff are professional. The location and grounds are quite nice. Apparently there's a Helipad but I didn't see it. I had the degustation menu which had some great dishes but as a whole it seemed a bit disjointed, for my taste. Overall a good effort.

Overall, for 3 nights, a great experience. The room was smallish, but neat and clean. Pool area awesome, but the 'winner' was the dinner at the hotel. 4 people for dinner with some wine was 'the best we've ever had' - along with the price....