Escale Oceania Pornichet La Baule

It was easy to find, and the hotel is close to the beach, shops, restaurants, and market. Everyone on staff was friendly and helpful. Marie was at reception when my wife and I checked in, and she spoke very good English. She answered all our questions and was a real credit to the hotel.

At EUR 155, this is crazy. I wouldn’t recommend the property at all, and would give it one star at best. The room layout is badly thought out: the desk and chair block access to the window, and the desk and suitcase storage should be swapped. There are no bedside sockets, the shelves by the bed are tiny, and there weren’t any extra pillows. The windows don’t fit properly or seal, leaving a 5mm gap in the bathroom window even when shut. Delivery traffic outside at 06:30 made for a VERY NOISY night. The bathroom glass is 75%, so light and noise there are disturbing. And to wash my hands, I have to walk through the room from the toilet.

I’ve stayed here twice for work, about 20 days in total. The location is very nice, close to the beach and Pornichet shops, and the staff are efficient and pleasant. Rooms are a reasonable size, with comfortable beds and small desks; some have balconies. I would recommend the hotel, but would ask for a room well away from the buzzing sound. It happens periodically in at least a few rooms, loud enough to be annoying. I noticed it most on the third floor near the elevator, though I can’t remember the room number. I didn’t hear it at all on the second floor during my latest stay. It was like a phone vibrating three times every five minutes, day and night, and colleagues staying there had noticed it too. Breakfast is standard, with good bread, fruit, cheeses and cold meats. The scrambled eggs were always undercooked for my taste, and the bacon was hit or miss. The coffee machines were fine.

The staff were so welcoming and friendly, and breakfast at the hotel was good. We had a pleasant stay, with the beach nearby and plenty of good restaurants around.