Best Western l'Orangerie

I’d fully paid through booking.com, apart from the local tax. I booked for one adult and two kids and entered their ages as required. On arrival, the hotel claimed it was for two adults and one child. At checkout they said it hadn’t been paid and forced me to pay again. Criminal scam.

The rooms were clean, spacious, and nicely decorated, and I liked the hotel. The pool area was pleasant too. Breakfast was one of the drawbacks: too basic, with low-quality pastries and very few options. The jacuzzi was the other issue, since it wasn’t fully working and its inner cover looked unfinished.

Good service and a nice balcony, and I appreciated having a bathtub. I didn’t try the spa, so I can’t say whether it’s worth it. The rooms and common spaces are a bit dated, and breakfast was average. There were no toiletries beyond a bottle of cheap all-in-one shower gel and shampoo, and no coffee machine, just some instant Nescafé. This feels like an okay hotel, but below the usual Best Western standard. Definitely more like three stars than four, which is a shame.

The staff were helpful and friendly, and the place had a quaint feel, if a little dated. It reminded me of what I’d imagine Hotel California to be like. Our balcony room overlooked the pool, which was nice. Breakfast had a good range of food and a good coffee machine with different options, but I’d leave the scrambled eggs. The walk to Nîmes centre really is 15 minutes, though it’s tough in high heat. Buses 6 and 7 stop almost outside and cost €1.40 one way, while a taxi is around €9.50. Trains to Avignon, Arles, and other places are good and not expensive, around €15 return. Get out and see the local villages in Provence.