Sowell Residence Chenes Verts St Raphael

The area is good, with great local restaurants and Saint Raphael not far away. But the accommodation is a site with different types of lodging and board, so don't book this expecting a 4 star hotel holiday with Jet2. The restaurant felt like a self service canteen and the food wasn't good. Staff only cleared away plates. Wine came from a machine, and at the bar you served yourself fizzy drinks and coffee from dispensers into paper cups. The roof pool had little shade and didn't allow food or drinks. Hotel guests couldn't use the separate pool.

We'd happily come back after a wonderful stay in a junior suite. It was comfortable and well kept, and the friendly, attentive staff made us feel genuinely welcome. Check-in and check-out both went smoothly.

We booked two nights because we were told there was a dog-friendly beach nearby, but on arrival found dogs weren't allowed on the beach and there wasn't a dog-friendly option in the area. That was a big disappointment. The beach is right by the hotel, and our room was spacious and clean, but the shared areas were dirty. Check-in was smooth. Parking was €10 a day, so we left the car on the street instead. The bar served wine, beer, and soft drinks during the day only when staff were there. In the evening there was just one premixed cocktail, different each day. Breakfast was a mess and tasted awful. Dinner was only okay, with few choices and lots of cheap frozen food like chicken nuggets. For that price, I expected much more. I'd pick another hotel without all-inclusive and spend the extra on food and drinks elsewhere.

The all-inclusive food didn't have the quality or variety I'd expect for the price, so we ended up ordering food to the hotel. When we checked out in heavy rain, we asked reception if we could drive up to the room to keep our things from getting soaked. They impolitely said we couldn't because we hadn't paid the extra parking fee. Parking on the resort grounds costs 10€ a day, so we'd parked on the road. We had to carry everything through the rain. We stayed two nights on the all-inclusive rate. The sea view from the shared areas was impressive, and the room was large, but little else stood out. Before booking, we asked about nearby dog beaches because that was crucial to our decision. Hotel employees said the area near Plage de Boulouris was dog friendly. When we went, several signs said dogs weren't allowed. Reception told us the beaches were the municipality's responsibility, not the hotel's, and that they couldn't provide a dog beach. One of the most terrible stays I've ever had.