Domaine de Raba

The staff were extremely professional, and the property has a relaxed elegance. We had a great visit, starting before we even arrived. The airline had lost my luggage while we were on a road trip in France, so we arranged for it to be delivered to the hotel a few days ahead. They tracked the bags and let us know when they arrived. Once we checked in, we had some foie gras we’d bought, and they brought delicious bread right to our room. Such great service, thank you! The chateau is lovely for dining, the rooms are comfortable and modern, and the spa is beautiful and rustic. A comfortable quick getaway from Bordeaux.

The restaurants and setting at Domaine de Raba are fantastic, and the staff were lovely and friendly. But our honeymoon stay in a lodge was overshadowed by a corporate party opposite our room on Thursday night. We expected peace among the trees, but it went on until 2am. We hadn’t been warned, and people leaving the party to smoke sometimes stood on the deck right outside our room. It felt like the event was happening on top of us. When we called to book on Thursday, we were told the restaurant was fully booked, but it was actually reserved for a private corporate event. We called at midnight and again at 2am to ask when the party might end, but got very vague answers. Hotel guests clearly weren’t the priority. We raised concerns with reception twice and were told the manager would be informed, but we never heard back. We also tried to book a massage by the lake and were told there was no availability, even though it was empty all Friday. Maybe there was a language barrier, but we never felt we got the full picture. On Friday evening, we were charged twice for dinner. The waiter said the first payment hadn’t gone through, but that now seems not to have been true. We called about it and were told to try again another time, then emailed and got no reply. We did eventually get a refund for the duplicate dinner charge, but I never heard back about the offer of another experience. Come for the restaurants, but be prepared if you stay.

We had a set dinner here with colleagues. The Caesar salad starter was excellent, the other courses were great too, and the service was good.

I received a massage here as a gift in January 2024. The Domaine de Raba was apparently under construction then, and it’s still being worked on in January 2025. The massage service still isn’t available. The only way to get anything for the money is to visit the restaurant, and they won’t offer a refund. From a legal point of view, Domaine de Raba, you’re taking clients’ money. If construction is ongoing and there’s no opening date, don’t sell services you can’t provide. Unprofessional, unreliable, and a real shame.