Les Chevaux de Marly

The setting is still neat, but the food has slipped and the wait keeps getting longer. After my last 2 visits, I feel this place has lost quality, while the price is still high. For a while now I've preferred "Le Pavillon de Bailly". It's nearby and a little simpler, but much better.

The noise was extreme. The hotel is right by a cobblestone roundabout, so we couldn't sleep with the windows open. We stayed five nights, and after being told we could park our small truck in the hotel lot, the owner came out when we tried and loudly and rudely told us to leave. Things went downhill from there. We weren't given breakfast, and the owner and his wife disturbed us several times overnight because water was leaking through the ceiling from the showers. We also got just one pair of towels for two people. I'll never stay here again.

The waitress was friendly, and the non-alcoholic cocktail we had before dinner was very good. I also ate well, though no better than I would at a more ordinary, less expensive restaurant. Nothing extraordinary, and the menu didn't come close to justifying its price. We'd booked well in advance, but couldn't order as many sole meunière as we wanted because there simply wasn't enough. The restaurant was empty when we arrived on Saturday and stayed that way all evening. That does suggest the ingredients must be fresh, but when menu items aren't available, it doesn't inspire confidence. The place calls for a sophisticated atmosphere to match the menu prices, but there wasn't much sophistication. The appetizers looked tiny lost on the gigantic main-course plates, so they should use smaller ones. The restaurant seems near the end of its life, and it shows.

The portions were generous, and the service impeccable. It's a classy restaurant with a pleasant setting, and the quality shows at every level. Prices are a bit high, but I'd recommend it without hesitation.