Le Clos Violette D'Aglaé

The service was great, but I left unhappy and wouldn’t stay again. My room was dark and cramped, with too much furniture, and I was given no room number before check-in, only a list of facilities. Nothing I read beforehand explained that it faced another guest’s room across a small terrace, or that people would walk past. I expect to be able to open the curtains and windows in private, but couldn’t do that here. I’d researched the options carefully, and there was no warning about the lack of privacy or about the double bed being two singles pushed together. The gap meant it felt like sleeping in a single bed. The Wi-Fi kept dropping and was very weak. I got a large discount through the booking site, but wouldn’t pay the full rate, and have stayed in better rooms for less than the discounted price. I didn’t raise it with reception because it was just one night, the place seemed fully booked, and I wanted to make the most of my time there. These are my own impressions; if the hotel considers them unrealistic, that says something about the hotel.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in this charming, pet-friendly hotel, a short walk from everything of interest in town. The building is medieval, with parts dating to the 13th and 15th Centuries, and it calls itself an apartment hotel because it has just seven suites. Our suite, “Theatre” (no. 6), was spectacular. It spread over two levels: downstairs was a bright, high-ceilinged bedroom with exposed log 🪵 beams and a huge bed that seemed bigger than a King. There were two sitting areas, one behind the bed and another by a front-corner window, plus a small extra bed in another corner, presumably for a dog. A kitchenette was tucked behind the main bed. The vanities, tub, and shower were upstairs, reached by a steel staircase, with a railing looking down over the bedroom. The private privy was cleverly placed downstairs, convenient at night. Upstairs, a door opened onto a covered private terrace with seating for six and views of the church and rooftops. There was plenty to enjoy beyond the suite too: a cozy first-floor tea room/bar/library/game room, a breakfast room and kitchen for the included petit-dejeuner, which was incredible and anything but petit, a small heated indoor pool, a garden terrace with several seating spots, and a wine cave with a beautiful live-edged wood table and small wine cellar. Bikes were available to rent, and the friendly staff were always around and helpful without hovering. One warning: avoid Room 7, which has a badly designed, unnecessary bathroom that could be fixed without much work. Our friends had to change rooms. YouTube’s Chef’s Apprentice

The rooms are gorgeous and roomy, and breakfast is out of this world, with local cheeses, eggs, and fresh fruit. Still, it’s the people who keep bringing me back. They patiently let me practice my terrible French with them. Marie deserves a special mention, she’s always friendly and is the genius behind the best breakfast in the world. Such a gem.

There are lots of great restaurants within a ten-minute walk, and we certainly ate well. Parking is close, about a four-minute walk: set your GPS for "Parking du Portalet" and cross the bridge by the playground. The hotel is about 80 yards into town, so don’t try to drive there. We stayed in a spacious Prestige apartment in the new building, with a private balcony and an elevator if needed. The shared ground-floor areas felt warm and welcoming too.