Logis Hôtels Domaine du Châtelard

The lake walk was fantastic, and the hotel staff were so kind. I stayed for one night with my wife and daughter, and everything was better than expected. Breakfast was homemade and delicious. I should come back here someday.

The location by the lake is amazing, and we had a great walk there. The staff are lovely, speak lots of languages, and really want to help. But our suite above reception had no soundproofing, so we could hear everything. There was no hot water either. A circuit had tripped and staff hadn’t noticed. When I mentioned it, they seemed baffled. The receptionist was nice, but didn’t seem bothered about taking it on. There’s no bar, so you have to sit in reception. We booked because of the chef’s reputation and the food, but the chef wasn’t there and they only offered a menu du jour, not a la carte. That was okay. The bread tasted like it was from yesterday. My wife’s speck starter was amazing, though the langoustine was literally one mouthful. The main course was nice, not amazing. I’d looked forward to the tomato sponge pudding. Its sauce was incredible, but the sponge had been microwaved until it was solid. It felt like the C team were in the kitchen. When I mentioned the sponge, staff just shrugged. They also charged me 1.5 euros when I asked for milk with my tea. I had high hopes, but this was average at best and they just didn’t care. The hotel needs a major refit, and the head chef needs to turn up. I’d go somewhere else, as they don’t seem able to fix problems.

We’ve already booked another visit for our wedding anniversary. The vegan lunch at Domaine du Chatelard was absolutely delicious, beautifully presented, and locally sourced. I think much of the food is grown on their own organic farm. The terrace setting was breathtaking, with a view over the private lake and beautiful woodland. The staff were super friendly and helpful. They easily adapted a couple of vegetarian dishes to make them vegan, and didn’t make us feel awkward at all. There’s a full vegetarian menu too, which sounded great for vegetarians.

It’s a really nice spot, away from it all, and the surrounding nature is wonderful. We stayed in a large, chic junior suite, though it felt very 90s and needed updating. The restaurant was presented as gastro, and kind of was, but fell short in some areas. I’d return, especially in summer.