L'Haubette

The family estate's champagne was the one bright spot in a stay that felt gloomy from the start. We were there as a gift from friends, and the host's frosty, rather enigmatic welcome didn't set us up for a cheerful visit. The lilac room was adequate, and breakfast was unexciting. The hostess served it and was more welcoming than her husband. Leaving felt just as gloomy as arriving.

The price left me disappointed, since the place didn't meet my expectations. Breakfast was very basic, just bread, butter, honey, jam, a muffin, and hot and cold drinks, though I wasn't expecting a feast. It was served in a shared room, and having the host right beside us watching us eat made it hard to get some quiet or have a chat. There was no heating in the children's room. The bathroom shower barely drained, and the rain shower head was completely clogged, as if it had been that way for a while. We arrived late and still had to hunt for spiders in every room, even above the crib. It was Halloween time, but still. I won't even get into the crude paint touch-ups.

We spent three days at this gîte with 13 friends on a cycling trip. The owner explained a lot about champagne, and you can tell he's a real enthusiast. The welcome was warm, the hosts were very kind, and both the food and rooms were excellent. Everything was clean too. We highly recommend this gîte.

The Glycine room at L'Haubette was spacious and very clean, and breakfast felt just like being at home. The hosts are passionate about what they do. Make sure to try the Champagne tasting: it's delicious, and you'll learn something new too. We had an excellent stay.