Château de Laléard

A magnificent place, and a magnificent stay.

The manager and staff were so welcoming, pleasant, respectful, and accommodating. We came because of my husband’s work and were made to feel very welcome. This was our second visit, and we’ll come back as soon as we can. See you soon ☺️

We’ve travelled to lots of places, but really didn’t expect this. We paid 60€ for two nights and chose not to stay for the second, even though that meant losing the money. Honestly, nothing was good. The welcome was cold, and when we arrived we weren’t sure where we were actually meant to stay. You can see a castle, but then you’re sent to an entrance that seems to have nothing to do with it, more like its dungeons. The place felt cold, gloomy, and neglected, as if time had stopped. The corridor scared me. There were hardly any other guests, and very little light. Our room was cold too. They turned on a radiator that seemed a century old, but it didn’t warm us during the night. The bed was uncomfortable, with a mattress that felt like it had two deep dips. The bathroom smelled like a sewer. They’d added some fragrance, but honestly I preferred the sewer smell to that fake chemical scent. The sheets hadn’t even been ironed, and the bathroom and walls looked like they were from another century. Breakfast was nothing special, just packaged food with no care put into it. The whole experience felt thoughtless and lacking in taste. With so much potential, it was just disappointing. As I said, I couldn’t face another night in what I’d call a frightening hotel. Such a shame.

The setting is really pleasant, and Saintes and the surrounding area are well worth seeing. The staff were welcoming and helpful. We had to cancel our stay, but we’ll make a point of stopping by another time. All the best.