Le Prieure - Relais & Chateaux

This really didn’t feel like a five-star hotel. If luxury prices for what felt like a glorified retirement home with delusions of grandeur sound appealing, book right away. I was baffled by the high ratings. The staff seemed to be counting down to their next break, management barked orders at subordinates in front of guests, and people were scrolling on their phones. The breakfast manager stood out for being both very unhelpful and visibly miserable. On our final day, housekeeping apparently forgot about us. We had to go to reception to get toilet paper, then waited an hour at the bar for one drink. A bottle of wine at nearby restaurants like La Cabane and Flo’s costs the same as a single glass at Le Prieuré, and arrives before you’ve fallen asleep. We paid for a suite for three nights. Management never introduced themselves, our room was cleaned only once, and the bill had several questionable additions, including a €6 apple juice for our toddler that only exists in the hotel’s imagination. With five stars, you’d expect the hotel to earn them. A four-star rating might at least let guests be pleasantly surprised instead of disappointed. We won’t return. The town itself is lovely and deserves a hotel worthy of its charm. Edited to add: this was mostly a management issue. The staff on the ground are quite nice. Management needs replacing.

The grounds are lovely, the place has real charm, and the staff made us feel welcome from the start. They even helped with our bags all the way through, and parking was easy. My wife and I spent a lot of time enjoying the hotel itself, and after three nights we wished we'd booked one or two more. The one thing I'd suggest is adding a screen or curtain around the shower or tub, since water can spread across the floor even when you're careful. Other than that, we had nothing but good things to say.

The pool area and garden have a lively feel, and at first glance everything seems clean and well run. The staff are laid-back, and the hotel feels much like others in France. But after a night or two, the stay started to fall apart for us: the rooms were dusty and cluttered, and the hospitality was only average.

The staff were very pleasant, breakfast was excellent, and the location worked perfectly for visiting what I thought were Avignon's best sights. I was also surprised that my standard room came with a terrace, and it was very spacious. The rooms are lovely overall, though some of the decor felt out of place, especially the lighting. Construction next door also disrupted the peace of the property.