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We did not enjoy where we stayed at Hôtel Villa Saint Ange (7 Traverse Saint Pierre 13100 Aix-en-Provence, 33442951010). Even though it had a lovely park setting and a very good Michelin-recommended restaurant, there was not much good we could say about this hotel. Our very expensive junior suite (903.71€ per day) was the opposite of value for the money. It was really just a bedroom and a bathroom with a small extension space only big enough for a desk, a table for one of our laptops, and a bench (our room at the Four Seasons Milano was smaller at 39.5 square meters, but much, much more functional, and we could even do our yoga there). When the Garellas created the hotel from the remains of the bastide, they should have made larger rooms that would be more luxurious.||||The 41 square meters was poorly laid out and not designed for comfort (there was not enough floor space for us to do our yoga). The closets had shelves, but should have the arrangement whereby a suitcase could be laid inside on top of two drawers, like other 5-star hotels. As it was, suitcases had to be on the floor or luggage racks in the room, and that looked awful. We moved the bench from the end of the bed to our small extension room and put suitcases on it, out of the way. Still, the bedroom was too small.||||We rearranged the furniture so that the two (sort of comfortable) chairs and table were across from the TV, and that’s where we had our after-dinner coffee. There were two bedside tables that were useful. The room was decorated to look luxurious and had all kinds of Second Empire etchings in gilded frames, wallpaper with 19th-century scenes (made to look old), and shelves with lots of books and bric-a-bracs, but these are not things we care about—we care about functionality.||||There was no coffee machine in the room. We asked for one, and a Nespresso machine and coffee pods were brought. The hot water took forever in the (too small) bathroom sinks (we each had one, thankfully), and when it did, while it was hot, it didn’t stay hot when mixed to the desired temperature. The general manager called a plumber who did a good job improving the situation. The worker who installed the toilet positioned it poorly. Because of the curved wall next to the toilet, we could not sit straight. There was no exhaust fan in the bathroom and even with the door open, it got totally fogged when we showered. On some days, the towels were scratchy like they were not dried in a machine. The gym was not worth mentioning, so I won't. Shall I continue?||||Okay, I will. This room had a TV “built into a mirror” and it was impossible to connect our cable to it to watch our videos. There was some room personalization done as a result of our requests, but getting the daily delivery of the correct towels was a continuing problem (and required handwritten notes). There were no flowers in our suite, and at the nightly turn-down service, no chocolate (or anything else) was left. It just struck us as a stingy place, trying to save money. Audre likes fresh flowers, and the hotel only had silk ones around. That annoyed her. In fairness, however, there were fresh orchids on the dining room tables.||||The breakfast buffet was good, although the staff often seemed overwhelmed, and service was slow. The same male staff that served us at dinner also served at breakfast (and rushed around with their clicking shoes). The two female servers (one at dinner and the one at breakfast) were personable and attentive. We were able to have eggs made to order and porridge, which made us happy. We got special permission to sit in the main dining room, not the breakfast room. The breakfast room was too small and the tables were too small and uncomfortable. The main dining room was cold, however. This hotel is the only one we've stayed at in 6 months that did not have freshly squeezed orange juice. It just seemedThere were no flowers in our suite, and at the nightly turn-down service, no chocolate (or anything else) was left. It just struck us miserly.||||The garden and pool area were lovely but annoying. There was a Jacuzzi, but the temperature would/could not be raised sufficiently to be appealing to us. On the one day that we had scheduled to sit by the pool, it was a very, very windy day.||||A final observation on this hotel: it was not a warm and hospitable place, with gracious hospitality. Although it was a small hotel, we had to seek out the general manager in order to talk to her. When we did, she took a meeting with us in the front reception area, and with no hospitable offer of a beverage. With the exception of the voituriers, who were warm and welcoming, most of the staff was correct and helpful when asked, but they were not warm, friendly, or welcoming. Actually, Quentin and the other voiturier were very helpful, particularly with restaurant recommendations and reservations. The staff did not wear name tags, so we didn't get to know names unless they sent us an email.
