Domaine du Clos Fleuri

The staff were helpful when we spoke with them, which was good. But the room could use quite a bit of redecorating to feel cozy, and the towel instructions were clear: leave used ones on the floor. After room service, they were put back over the towels we were still using. Ugh. We'd have liked a small breakfast, but the full breakfast at 15 euros per person was rather expensive for what we wanted. It would also be good to have a path for walking to Honfleur. For the first 500 meters, the only way on foot is along the roads, which feels dangerous.

We were very pleased with our stay. The place is stylish and, from what I could tell, recently refurbished or at least very well maintained. Having access to the tiny pool and tiny sauna around the clock was a real plus. Breakfast was generous and varied, but that was the one reason I didn't give five stars. I would have liked more homemade or artisanal options. The orange juice wasn't fresh, though you could make your own, and the cheese selection was limited and seemed supermarket-bought.

We had to cut our stay short by a day for medical reasons beyond our control. The hotel refused to change our booking from four nights to three, saying we had booked four. When we asked for the manager, reception said he was on holiday and couldn't be called. The receptionist wouldn't budge. We used Google Translate for the brief conversation, as the staff spoke only a few words of English. Since we were still paying for the fourth night, we asked if breakfast could be served before 08:30 so we could start our 900-kilometer drive earlier. Again, we were told it was impossible because breakfast starts at 08:30. The inflexibility was baffling. The room was spacious and the bed comfortable, but otherwise it was quite bare. The sitting area had one small round table, a single high chair, and an old sofa bed. The bathroom was large, with a tub and separate shower, but no amenities. We wouldn't consider this a superior room at over 200 euros a night. We booked four nights in a superior deluxe room advertised with sea and garden views. The hotel's nice photos don't show that the building, and therefore the room, is only a few meters from the main road. In hot weather, with no air conditioning, keeping the windows closed was difficult. The sea view was mostly the Le Havre harbor container terminal and oil refinery. The garden view was from the bathroom. Breakfast only started at 08:30, late even by French standards, and there were no hot options, not even a boiled egg. There was no staff on site after 19:00. Near the breakfast room, an honesty bar sold drinks, snacks, and small, overpriced dishes to heat in a microwave. Wine was only sold by the bottle. Signs said guests couldn't bring their own food or drinks to have on the patio or in the garden. The so-called swimming pool was actually a 3 by 6 meter plunge pool. With my many years of management experience in hospitality, my verdict is that I can't recommend this place. It's overpriced for what you get and seems more focused on revenue than customers.

There were lots of flowers and lovely gardens, plus a very pretty view. The hotel itself was really nice, and even had a super cute dog!