Hôtel Ambassadeurs

Mornings here were wonderfully calm. Looking out at La Manche, the water seemed to reach the balcony before slipping back and leaving smooth sand behind. It felt like waking up in a slow film. The hotel sits right on La Plage du Sillon, with the sea and promenade just outside. The rooms are small but practical, and the rooftop terrace has wide sea views and cocktails. Downstairs, there’s a crêperie serving Breton dishes with a view. A peaceful, pleasant stay.

The view was stunning, but the rest of the stay was a letdown. Our room was small, the shower was terrible, and the breakfast and service were the worst I’ve experienced. Bread and coffee kept running out, and the staff were unfriendly and unhelpful. Our parking reservation had been confirmed in writing, but no space was available. For the price, I can’t recommend it.

The location is genuinely good, right by the sea and on a street with restaurants, a hairdresser and other places. We could walk to the centre, “intra muros,” in about 20-30 minutes. The reception, cleaning and restaurant staff were all friendly and seemed to enjoy their work. The accommodation, though, was a real disappointment for 200 euros a night plus breakfast. We travel often and have stayed in hostels and simple hotels for 60-80 euros that were comparable. We’ve also sometimes paid the same or less for nice four- or five-star hotels by the sea, even in high season. This room looked nothing like the photos. The hotel feels old and run down, and our room was in a separate building a few hundred meters down the road, not the main one. That seems to be mentioned somewhere on Booking, but we missed it. Even knowing that beforehand, it wouldn’t have mattered much to us. We could use the breakfast room and rooftop terrace, which is open to everyone, but the place didn’t feel like a hotel. It had no charm, and the mismatched, worn wallpaper, carpet and pictures looked like they’d been chosen because they were cheap. The bed was tiny by European queen or king standards and too short for my 188 cm partner, whose feet stuck out. The room got stuffy, but opening the window brought in quite a bit of traffic noise. Some shower and toilet fittings were broken, there was lots of mould in the shower, and the tiny bathroom made it hard to move around. It had a one-star feel. We’d love to return to St. Malo and this area, but we’d choose another hotel. There are plenty of better-maintained three-star places on this street that cost the same.

We had a lovely room, and the shower was amazing. The views were spectacular, and the staff were friendly and helpful. There are some lovely restaurants nearby too. We really enjoyed our stay and would definitely recommend it :)