L'Océane

There was lots of parking space and room for bikes, and the location by the pool was great. We skipped breakfast because the options weren't what we wanted. Our room, though, faced the restaurant's service entrance, and it got so hot that we had to leave the window open. That meant being woken by rubbish collection at about 3:30 am, glass recycling around 5:00, then deliveries before 7:00. Take care when booking if you want to avoid that noise.

I really liked the small balcony and its fantastic ocean view. The room was nicely placed, the bed was comfortable, and there was a kettle with tea and coffee. Everything was clean, including the bathroom with its walk-in shower. The staff were so friendly and helpful. Breakfast felt a little expensive for what you got, though. There's a restaurant right beside the hotel on the waterfront, and I recommend it.

The pool is nice and the hotel's in a good spot, but the rooms have no air conditioning. They gave us a tiny, useless fan, and it was impossible to sleep at night. There aren't any outlets by the bed either, and the pool isn't heated.

I usually don't post a Google review to criticize a business over one incident, but this time I'm making an exception. The hotel is okay, though the rooms are dated, somewhat cramped, and expensive at €153 a night. I'd been told by Booking.com there was no locked, secure bike shed. Since I was on a cycling holiday with an expensive bike, I hoped we might find a solution when I arrived. The receptionist, who spoke English, politely turned down my offer. Then a woman beside her, perhaps the manager, started speaking French without being asked. I know enough French to catch her snapping, "If we start doing that, there'll soon be 10 bikes in the hall." In less than a minute, I went from a slightly disappointed but satisfied customer to someone made to feel whiny and difficult. Had she missed the customer satisfaction role-play in her training? I can't stand seeing someone understand so little about their job. My bike was still outside the next morning and, thankfully, hadn't been stolen. Still, worrying about it didn't make for a good night's sleep.