Logis Hotel Le Parc De Geoffroy

The restaurant's chef is non plus ultra, a lovely surprise. The dishes were excellent, balanced, and full of flavor, as well as a pleasure to look at. The staff were friendly and competent. The hotel rooms are nicely set in the small park of the Clos St. Eloi, with a covered walkway connecting them to the restaurant, which is handy when it rains.

The staff were friendly, breakfast was good, and the secure parking was reassuring. We got in late and found room 111 just the right size.

The food was the worst part of a very disappointing meal. My small piece of Char was dry, overcooked and tasteless, and I couldn't tell what it was; the other flavors clashed, though the beetroot was good. My partner's small beef portion was nearly cold and bland, and the vegetables were barely warm. Poor food, poorly served. No one checked whether we were enjoying it, and the staff seemed incompetent. We were even charged for wine we never received. We had to remind them to bring our drinks, then gave up on the wine when it still hadn't arrived halfway through the meal. We'd been told this was a good place to eat, but if we'd seen the reviews first, we would have stayed away.

We've stayed here three times over the years, and it has been consistently excellent. The hotel is tucked just off the motorway in Thiers, with very comfortable rooms and friendly staff. The current chef is excellent too. We had a first class supper, with lovely wines selected for each course by the young woman who was the sommelier. I don't give praise lightly, and we'll be back.