Pierre & Vacances Résidence Port Guillaume

The balcony was the biggest issue for us. Staff gathered just below our apartment to talk and smoke, so sitting outside or leaving the doors open was difficult because of the noise and smoke. I complained and it stopped for a day, then started again with another staff shift. I understand French law requires an employee smoking area, but I wouldn't return without a room well away from it. Front apartments facing south over the harbour may be the best choice. The residence is right by the marina in Port du Guillaume. Driving there was a little tricky, though manageable. There may be private parking, but the free car park outside worked fine, and a couple of decent restaurants are close by. Dives town centre is about ten minutes on foot, Cabourg's seafront is a short walk over a footbridge, and Houlgate is a longer, bracing shoreline walk. Our flat was as expected, though tired and rather dull. The kitchenette was small but had a hob, microwave and filter coffee machine, but no oven. There are outdoor and heated indoor pools, and the outdoor one has loungers. There weren't any English TV channels, which was fine. The bathroom was minuscule, with hardly any room for toiletries. I also find the separate French toilet without a handwashing facility unhygienic and inconvenient. This wasn't our best Pierre et Vacances stay, but we booked at short notice and the price was fairly low.

The beds were very comfortable, and the sheets and quilts felt like decent quality. There was plenty of room under the stairs for holiday things, and the cleaning kit, two toilet rolls and bin bags waiting on arrival were useful touches. The cleaning staff were lovely. I asked whether we should remove the mattress and pillow protectors to save them extra work, and they said yes because in high season they don't have enough for all the flats. That could be explained in the online handbook. The flat was practical and nicely decorated despite being in an old building. It's close to the beach, and Cabourg and Dives are walkable. We liked the setting, though the lift felt old and jumpy. Its doors kept closing when I tried to hold them for another guest, and I only avoided getting my hand caught by pulling it away at the last second. The door-open button worked. A motion sensor seems like it could be a useful upgrade, especially for older guests and children. We had poor weather and hoped to use the large indoor pool shown online, but it was small for the number of flats. It may not meet the safety limits for swimmers per square metre. There are no lifeguards. Both pools had good hygiene facilities, and the outdoor pool had a proper safety gate and other safety measures. The online facilities guide is handy, but its dishwasher instructions about cleaning kitchenware on the hottest programme are unclear and refer to COVID measures that reception said are no longer needed. The guide should be updated. Finding the bins and glass recycling was also confusing. From reception, the directions were just “over there on the right,” but you have to pass through two doors. The bins are in a room off a corridor with guest flats, so signage from reception or by the lift would help. Wi-Fi didn't work well for us. Reception also wasn't open for the full hours shown. On the evening before our departure, 7 Aug, I went down at 18:50 to ask whether everything had to go in the dishwasher and whether it should be running at checkout. The shutter was already down and the receptionist was leaving, although reception was supposed to stay open another ten minutes. That's poor service, or the posted hours need to be changed and shared with guests. There was often a strong smell of tobacco at the entrance steps to reception. It would be better if staff asked visitors not to smoke at the entrance, perhaps with a small sign. The staff were responsive when I asked about noisy kitchen ventilation. The receptionist quickly arranged maintenance, and a pleasant man came promptly and reduced the noise. She also acted quickly when I reported a little boy standing on a terrace table and looking over the balcony. She asked me to show her, then went with a colleague to speak with the parents and ask them to move the table away from the edge. I was glad they took the danger seriously. A lovely stay, and I recommend it.

The flats and little houses are well equipped for everyday needs, with friendly staff and good internet. There's both an indoor and an outdoor pool, and the accommodation has enough room for up to six people. The beach and promenade are about 5-10 minutes away. A very nice place for families.

My husband and I spent two weeks here and came away with lovely memories. Ms. Grace at reception was incredibly kind and sweet, one of the best hotel staff members we've met. We really adore her. The hotel felt dreamlike, and everything was excellent. I'd definitely recommend this beautiful place.