Hotel Restaurant Le Gardon - Pont du Gard

I loved my stay, even as a grumpy old Englishman! The hotel is peaceful, quiet, and very clean, with helpful staff and an amazing chef. The large pool is gorgeous, and the rooms stay lovely and cool, with a fridge and tea and coffee facilities. I felt special here. It is remote, though, and there’s nowhere within walking distance. If you want to be close to shops or villages, this may not suit you. I don’t speak French, but the staff were patient and kept trying to explain things. They even brought out a translated dinner menu each night.

The hotel was clean, the bathroom was nice, and the pool looked good. Getting a meal was really complicated, with odd rules about when you could eat. Even after going to eat, we had to wait for staff to notice us, then another five minutes to be served. Breakfast was €12 for a tiny croissant and a limited choice of tea, nothing special. I was woken early by maids vacuuming the hallway outside our room for an hour and talking loudly. You need a car to get here, since there’s nothing around.

The building is beautiful, the rooms stylish and clean, and the restaurant excellent. But I could barely sleep because a very noisy air shaft was right outside my window. We arrived too early for our room, which was fine, but the hotel wouldn’t let us sit on the terrace while we waited because everything was being cleaned. When I asked to use the toilet, someone let out a loud sigh. That felt like a terrible way to treat guests. Later, at check-in, the woman at reception had already seen my rating. Instead of apologising for her colleague’s behaviour, she kept telling me my review put the hotel in a bad position. When another employee arrived, she ended the conversation and walked away. Really unbelievable.

The owners who hosted us were so helpful and friendly, and they managed Covid very well. The rooms are beautiful, and we had the best meal we’ve ever had in the Gard. A fabulous hotel and a great experience all round. Thank you.