Altos Hôtel & Spa

2/10. The room may be clean, but the service was awful, and I wouldn’t recommend staying here. I felt unwelcome the whole time. When I pointed out that the bed hadn’t been made properly and asked for it to be fixed, the reaction made it seem like I’d done something terrible. The receptionist was aggressive and took offense easily. She refused to help and swore at me in French, apparently knowing I didn’t speak it. I don’t care how hard the staff say they work or how clean the place is supposed to be. What matters is what guests actually get, and my experience was very bad. With service like that, I’d rather choose somewhere else than worry about how the staff might treat me while I’m asleep. The passive aggressive replies to criticism don’t help either.

I can’t fault my stay, and I was sorry to leave. I’ve stayed in plenty of good hotels, but Altos has been my favourite, and I’ll use it again. It’s well placed for St Mont Michel, the beaches, and the Normandy D Day beaches. Avranches itself has an ancient castle, lots of shops, a few places to eat, and supermarkets nearby. I’d also recommend St Malo and Granville. The room was modern, nicely decorated, clean and fresh, with a comfortable bed. It was cleaned daily, and the bathroom had plenty of hot water and clean towels each day. Breakfast was very good, with a nice choice of freshly cooked croissants and other items. The bar is welcoming and relaxing, and the staff and manager were polite and very helpful. They all spoke English, which made things easier. After five nights, I’d got to know the staff. There’s secure off road parking for a motorcycle. The welcome was friendly from the moment I arrived. If hotels had a six star rating, I’d give it to this place.

The person at the front and the manager were incredibly helpful, worth their weight in gold. Breakfast was basic but tasty, and the rooms were pleasant with comfortable beds. The windows let in a draught, there’s no international TV, and I didn’t try the spa. There wasn’t a supper menu.

€99 is far too much for this place. At €40 it might have been alright. The property felt old and dirty, with scratches, shiny spots and cobwebs all over. At breakfast, there wasn’t even any milk for the cornflakes.