Hôtel San Pedro

The sea and ramparts are literally a one-minute walk away, so it’s easy to pop down to the beach or head out for those gorgeous sunsets. I was in Saint Malo for a conference and spent five days at San Pedro. I can’t remember having such a good hotel stay. Unlike at other hotels, I had interesting conversations with the owner and the woman who made breakfast. Do have breakfast here. It’s reasonably priced, generous, and made with fresh ingredients. The room isn’t large, especially by North American standards, but everything works. The bed is comfortable, and there’s room to move around as long as you don’t bring huge suitcases. I definitely recommend the place. It’s hard to beat the experience of staying here.

We had bikes, and the owner kindly walked us to a parking garage two minutes away where we could store them. The rooms are cozy, the sea view is great, and the staff were extremely friendly. It’s perfectly placed for the beach and walking around the walls. I’d stay again. Thanks for letting us speak French without immediately switching to English!

The worst part of my stay was the ants. They came through a gap in the sealant around the window and were all over the room, including the bathroom. There were ants in the headboard inches from the pillow, in the sheets, on the walls, and on every surface. I had to stash my bike helmet in one of the few spots they hadn’t found, and my jacket, hanging from the rail used as a wardrobe, was covered in them. I crushed quite a lot with a bar of soap, but I barely slept. Every itch or tickle made me wake up and check whether they were on me. When I told the proprietor in the morning, I got little more than a Gallic shrug. Patrick apologised and refunded our fee after we raised it once we got home. Thank you, Patrick. The hotel’s location is excellent, right in St Malo old city and just a few metres from the sea walls. It’s a small building, with three en-suite rooms on each floor. The rooms are understandably small and oddly laid out. My top-floor room looked like it hadn’t had a paint job or handyman’s attention for a while. Breakfast, served by a waitress, was very good: pastries, bread, cheese, meats, fresh fruit salad, and yoghurts. It’s a shame, as the hotel has plenty of character, age, and a unique design.

We used this lovely hotel as our base for a bike trip. The location was great and breakfast was very good. The rooms are small, though.