Château de Fontanges

The room felt like a basic motel room, just a bed with two pillows, a desk, TV, and chair. There was no heat, and April was so cold that the night was miserable. Parking and check-in were difficult, with very little help, and I wouldn’t recommend this place to seniors who have trouble carrying luggage. The breakfast buffet was a shock. It wasn’t included in the room, there was no attendant, and the few items on the table looked like leftovers from days earlier. Nobody checked that things were as they should be. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I want my money back for the breakfast. Guests shouldn’t have to ask for basics. The only person who helped me was the maid who made up the rooms. She spoke with me and carried my luggage to the car, so thank you to her. Apart from her, the employees need hospitality training. This place isn’t what it seems, and I wouldn’t consider staying here.

After a long journey, we were told the restaurant had no room, so we had to go to one in town about 5 km away. We couldn’t order room service either. The receptionist knew we’d be eating out after 21:30-22:00, since I’d even asked her to book a table for us, and she said she’d be at reception that night. When we returned after 23:00, the entire hotel was locked. We waited outside for 40 minutes, with nobody answering the reception phone or letting us in. Eventually, the banging from other angry guests woke someone responsible, and we were finally admitted after nearly an hour. They seemed to have just woken up. I’m really disappointed nobody told us the hotel shuts down completely after 23:00, especially when they knew we had to go out for a meal because there was no space inside. We had booked online and called right away to confirm everything. Also, I’d requested a double bed in one room and was told by phone there would be one, but we got two singles pushed together. Is this really the service expected here?

The setting is beautiful and the staff are nice, but the rooms feel old and carry a lot of noise. You hear everything in the corridors, so getting back to sleep once someone in the building is up is hard. There’s a lot of potential here, though the hotel still feels stuck in the 80s and needs serious investment.

We have lovely memories of Château de Fontanges. The château has been updated to modern standards while keeping its historic feel, and the pool, spa, and bar/café were great to have. The staff were friendly and professional, and went out of their way to help us enjoy the stay. There’s a bus stop nearby for buses to and from Rodez, and the staff can arrange taxis too. We hope to visit Château de Fontanges again.