Bellevue

The room was comfortable and perfectly clean, and the price was very reasonable. It felt like a friendly, family-run hotel, with a pleasant welcome and a surprising amount of trust. It's in a lovely, quiet spot close to the charming village of Fréjus.

The photos must be from when the place first opened, because it looked nothing like them. There was no concierge, the lamps had cobwebs on them, and the room smelled musty. At least the towels were nice and there was air conditioning.

A complete disaster 😱😱😱 The manager wasn't friendly at all, and even saying hello seemed reluctant 😳 There were cobwebs, peeling paint, a black mark, a yellow stain on the ceiling, and dust. The curtain rod was broken and the blanket was stained. One room was crammed with three beds, a large sideboard, a three-seat sofa, a table for six, a TV stand, and a console table!!!!! And yes, there was also a separate bedroom with a double bed. The decor looks like it dates back to my great-grandmother's time... and the list goes on.

We booked a table for four for the next day after the boss went on and on about his supposedly wonderful octopus stew, slow-cooked and all that. The way he talked it up suggested a real treat. The boss's plump appearance seemed promising too, though apparently it was due to health problems, not culinary delights. What we got was a horror show. There was a wobbly table and no light, which was a bad start. There wasn't enough rice for three, so two barely warm gratins were served instead, apparently reheated and at least a week old. The stew tasted burnt, like leftovers from an old fridge. One portion had been diluted with cold water and split three ways to make up the difference, leaving each of us three small pieces of octopus leg. It came out cold, almost frozen, and had to be sent back to the kitchen to be reheated. It was no stew at all. One person ordered the rib-eye advertised as the daily special. It was just an ordinary piece of meat, overcooked like an old shoe. Then the 'Gnome' in the kitchen came out raging and offered a homemade mille-feuille that looked like something a three-year-old would make, and probably do better. At least the bill was correct. The waitress was a kind girl who seemed terrified to serve food like this, and as if she was staying because she didn't know where else to go in a time of economic crisis and high unemployment. She had a good sense of humor, offering us a 'Limoncello' as a digestif. I should have said we only have that after a good meal. If you want to look like a... in front of your guests or your wife while eating and putting up with this kind of scam, go ahead. Otherwise, run away!