Maryfrommanorfarm
Google
Unpromising and hard core modern from the road outside, (miscelaneous bits of 'architecture', weedy vegetable patch, car park), the hotel opens up at the back to a fine view over the dunes towards the St Laurent Peninsula, the sea, and the little port. It is a small hotel, with a reception that closes at 10 pm (there is a key code to get in after that), no bar, but a pleasant lounge on the ground floor, and an even nicer one on the first (both with the view). Although the hotel claims to have a garden it is not the sort you sit out in, on deckchairs, instead it was a grassy lawn grazed by three rather lovely ouessant sheep, who were in a continuous battle with the house cats.. A couple of tables outside the lounge window with hard chairs is your lot. You ask at reception if you want a drink. |We had a top floor terrace room, with a broad terrace and that fine view. Unfortunately, there is only a bit of string separating your terrace from the ones on either side, so although your terrace is huge, you have no sense of privacy. In fact, rather embarrassingly after going out to look at the stars on our first evening we turned back to see our neighbours enjoying their bed enthusiastically and they saw us. All rather public, and a pity given that a couple of well placed planters would solve the problem. Otherwise, the room was OK, only one chair (the inevitable failing of hotels), no place to put your suitcase to unpack, only 3 coat hangers in the wardrobe (another 2 were taken up with the provided dressing gowns) and not all the electric sockets worked - we had to try a few before we could charge our phones. The bed was big and comfortable (actually two beds made up together). Breakfast was a disappointment for a place that was clearly trying to be quite grand: coffee from a thermos, no real fresh juice, and the staff were not very quick at replenishing things when they ran out - which was often because the containers were quite small. There was a nifty little egg boiling machine, though. When we booked, earlier in August, the hotel website suggested the hotel had a 'grand' restaurant and a separate Brasserie. When we were there, the two had been combined into one room (where we also had breakfast). Lovely view, but food not up to its reputation and not 'contemporary'. |Overall it was difficult to see how the hotel got its 4 stars, but it did have its heart in the right place, friendly staff on reception, and that view was absolutely fantastic. Always book a 'sea view' room. We didnt try the spa.