Château de la Balluère

We had a reservation to stay, but the place was closed.

For what the room costs, I expected a lot better. There wasn't any cold water, and the shower mixer wouldn't work. The TV was out of order too, and there was no soap or shampoo. The door only shut with magnets, with no lock. The staff seemed disorganized and incompetent. They explained the rates badly and quoted prices based on what they thought they could get away with.

We shared a hearty, nicely balanced meal with some original flavors at a romantic table in the big living room, beside its large fireplace. Breakfast was served in the lovely living room too, around a table with the castle's hosts. It was a generous, friendly French-style breakfast. The building is beautiful, well looked after, and well appointed, with a setting that feels special and romantic. We stayed in a suite with a lovely claw-foot tub right in the middle of the room, so it's best suited to experienced couples. The TV hadn't been programmed, but that wasn't the reason for our visit. The couple who greeted us were friendly, though they seemed a little eccentric at first. Bring your own soap and a hairdryer if you like to be well styled.

We were so disappointed, especially with how the hotelier treated us. After we raised several problems, he didn't try to listen or check them, and said he "didn't like Smartbox vouchers." We had booked two nights, one meal, and two breakfasts with a Smartbox voucher for 3 days of castles and gastronomy, but after an argument he asked us to leave. We left the following morning. The welcome had been icy, the explanations short, and the hotelier seemed in a rush despite the time we'd agreed on. For somewhere advertised as 3 or 4 stars, the services fell short across the board. The TV didn't work, the shower couldn't be adjusted and was right in front of the bed with no privacy, there was no soap, and the toilet door wouldn't close. A budget hotel would have welcomed us much better. Avoid this place.