Auberge de Cassagne & Spa

The spa and facilities were very nice, and the restaurant food was good. The service, though, didn't match what you'd expect from a five-star hotel or Michelin restaurant. The waiter said the champagne with the appetizer was included, but we were charged $25 a glass; everyone at the table understood it the same way, including three French people. He also spilled champagne on my grandmother while refilling the water, and some waiters rushed through the menu without the patience you'd expect at that price. We came for Christmas and had booked two bedrooms, one with two beds, with Christmas dinner included. We asked several times to confirm the twin-bed setup, but nobody mentioned that they don't offer two queen beds or an equivalent. Many rooms have one large bed that can be split into two twins, so my wife and I ended up sleeping in a twin bed at a five-star hotel.

Breakfast was a real plus, with good local food and a fresh orange juice machine. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the spa stayed open until 1 a.m., so after a day in Avignon my teenage son and I could use the indoor pool and hot tub at 10 p.m. Our room was lovely, with a high ceiling and air conditioning that worked very well. I even found a beautiful rose in the room. We spent two nights at this beautiful property and would recommend it.

Chantal gave me the best massage I've ever had, and she was an absolute dream. My mom and I had a wonderful two-night stay in presidential room number 68, and we also booked 80-minute massages. If you stay here, I'd highly recommend booking a massage and asking for Chantal.

Our group of 30 checked in around 9 p.m. on November 12. Three rooms, including ours, were on the first floor, but there was no elevator. We're all over 60, and each room had two very large suitcases. When we asked the woman at the front desk if anyone could help get them upstairs, she gave a firm, cold “no.” She didn't apologize or offer any solution. In the end our tour guide carried the heavy luggage up for us. That's why we gave one star: we couldn't accept that attitude when seniors were asking for help.