Relais du Périgord Noir

The room was basic but decent, and the pool was great for relaxing and sunbathing with friends. The inflatables were a bonus. Restaurant food was decent, though not cheap, while breakfast was basic but fine. For a couple of nights around a wedding, the hotel worked perfectly well. But one staff member’s rudeness really soured the stay and cost it a couple of stars for me. The gentleman at the desk ignored us several times even when we were speaking directly to him, choosing instead to refill water bottles and clean the bar. When we asked simple things, like check-in time or the WiFi code, he acted as if we were begging for money and wasting his time. Probably the rudest front desk staff member I’ve ever encountered in a hotel.

The hotel is right in the small town of Siorac-En-Périgord. From outside the building looks nice, but inside was another story. As they say, don’t judge a book by its cover. The good points: the receptionists were quite nice, which surprised me after reading the other reviews, though it took them a long time to help me. The elevator worked well and looked decent. The bed was reasonably comfortable, not too hard. Breakfast was average: toast, butter, orange juice, croissants, coffee, cereal and a few other things. The pool was surprisingly good, had a roof for winter, and came with pool accessories. Overall, not much to get excited about, just average hotel features. The problems were more serious. Free WiFi didn’t reach my room, which was a struggle since I watch a lot of YouTube videos. It worked in the lounge, though. I found a few hairs in the bed sheets before going to sleep, the pillows were so soft they felt almost nonexistent, and the floor was quite dirty. You’d want to wear socks the whole time. I was too lazy to. The bathroom was VERY disappointing. All the standard rooms have bathrooms designed for handicapped people. The shower was odd and had no doors, so water went EVERYWHERE, and the toilet plunger was broken. Breakfast area smelled like sweat. My ratings: comfort 2.8 / 5, cleanliness 1.2 / 5, breakfast 3.5 / 5, activities 3 / 5, service 2.5 / 5. Overall rating: 2,16, rounded to 2! A 2 star hotel. Average otherwise, but with some MAJOR annoyances and flaws.

The food was delicious and beautifully presented, served in a lovely dining room. The waiting staff were very pleasant, and we had a very good experience overall. The front of house could be more welcoming.

There was no sense of hospitality. I waited 45 minutes to check in while "Monsieur" stayed on the phone, without acknowledging me or even looking my way. At the restaurant there was no choice, you eat what they put in front of you. That’s unacceptable, even in the off-season.