Following a lost reservation snafu at the planned first stop on our honeymoon, we ended up at Hotel…read morele Couvent Royal. We had seen the basilica from the road on our drive the first location, were curious, read about it in the travel book and, thought, "Hey, that sounds like a pretty cool hotel." Little did we know we would be heading there soon. Booking online with the hotel on the fly was a snap. Check-in was a breeze, as the desk clerk was both patient and helpful with my (poor) French; all in all a very friendly welcome. The only room left was twin-bedded, but we were able to slide them together and apart easily. It was a surprisingly comfortable sleep, actually. The bathroom was clean and well appointed. The linens on the beds were crisp and comfy. The towels were soft and warm. The toiletries, especially the hand/bath soap, were great. All the things I look for: check, check, check and check. The setting is absolutely incredible. An historic property, to say the least. The breakfast provided a great spread. A few basic cheeses (mini Boursins, camemberts), several breads, fresh yogurt with fruit (apricots, figs) and chestnuts, great coffee, eggs, bacon, etc. Everything was delicious and well-prepared/served. The town itself, while not a prime destination, is worth a half-day of your time. We toured the basilica, shopped, sipped at friendly cafes and dined at cozy restaurants. We also stopped by the spa just up the street from the hotel (Un Moment por Soi), where we had a great experience. Everyone in the town was very sweet and incredibly welcoming. We had a great couple of days staying at the Hotel le Couvent Royal and heartily recommend it.

I have a mixed opinion about my 4 night stay at the Hotel de France. The rooms were clean and the…read morejunior staff were excellent (very friendly and helpful but ultimately had no power to resolve any room issues). I was part of tour group and shared a room so can provide multiple viewpoints. The good: - convenient parking a block away (1.50 euro per night) - nice clean rooms for this level of hotel* - restaurant and bar ( good but read below for better) - convenient buffet style breakfast w/ juicer for OJ or grapefruit - great croissant at breakfast and at reception desk - staff offers prompt resolution for easy things like extra towel/t.paper - air con is quiet (no air con in the annex)* - elevator The bad: - "free and unlimited wifi" doesn't work at all in some rooms - no extra luggage stands (1 per room only) - at least three rooms had no functioning stopper for sink or bathtub so you can't wash clothes and they don't offer laundry service - service is friendly but elusive at breakfast - one small pot of hot water for tea drinkers so every single day someone had to ask for hot water when they could find staff - mostly carbs offered for breakfast with packaged cheese and yogurt - you pay extra to have eggs prepared I stayed an extra night after the tour and could either pay 142 euro to keep the same room (108) or downgrade to a 81 euro room (Rm 320). I chose the cheaper option and found out that the wifi didn't work. If I took 2 steps outside my new room I got a signal. After an hour, the manager told me the their tech said there was nothing to be done since my phone was probably not powerful enough. I didn't buy this since I have an iPhone SE and never had a problem getting wifi at a hotel before. I asked to change rooms but I was told I would have to pay for a Superior room like I had before or I could go to their lobby. This lack of wifi in some rooms should be stated upon booking but the answer I got was "Monsieur, we can't do anything if no one tells us there is a problem." I find that really hard to believe since two doors down someone in my tour had no success with wifi on her iPhone 8 and her mac Air (Rm 322). The tour leader had a room in the same end of the building last year and had no reception either. For 81 euros, I was fine with having a small bathroom but buyer beware. I am a 5'11'' male with a slim build (34'' waist) and I barely fit in the shower stall. Avoid if you have a bigger build or have claustrophobia. The driver of tour was put in their annex because they were fully booked. He reported that the walls were paper thin and could hear outside and inside noise plus there was no air con in the annex hotel. A family who had three rooms booked in the annex were hot on his heels to complain about the hot rooms and the lack of soundproofing. Would you believe the hotel had previously asked our Tour Leader if they could move me and my roommate to the annex since the room there would be bigger for two people. They neglected to mention there was no air con so we dodged a bullet because the TL kept us in the main building. July is hot in Provence. The room they wanted to move us out of was actually pretty roomy with a huge bathroom. Only one luggage stand for two people though. The TL let me use hers as there were no extras The manager was very good at explaining why she couldn't help or offering less than satisfactory options. Ultimately though, it seems the ownership has a business model that reduces their bottom line in several ways. Hiring capable but inexperienced junior staff and a few senior staff that are good a deflecting issues back on to clients. They rely on the politeness or the ignorance of their guests to get away with things they shouldn't. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth even though the hotel is actually a decent place to stay overall if you are in a room with none of these issues. Issues that a good hotel should handle with class. I mean, throw an extra pot of hot water on the table at breakfast and don't cheap out on getting some stoppers for the sinks for Pete's sake. Tell your customers what their getting or fix the bloody wifi. If I could do it over again, I would stay at the convent even though it doesn't have air con. Our driver has taken tours their with clients from around the world and they were happy there he says. The building is historical and has super thick walls which helps with the heat. Eating options: The hotel restaurant was good but I got tired of it quickly as most options were too rich tasting for my taste, even the pizzas. Four of us had a great lunch at La Rotisserie on the plaza, a 30 second walk from the Hotel de France. Two blocks in the other direction is L'Imprevu, a family style restaurant. The young waiter knew how to pair his wines well. They have an amazing seafood pasta paella (for 2) if you like mussels, shrimp and chorizo.

Hummm, I think Yelp failed us with this recommendation but Trip Advisor has the most honest…read morereviews. We decided to try it out anyway. You can't go off "stars" alone. You have to read some of the reviews and see for yourself what the talk is about. We walked over and without reservation, scored a seat in the patio. Our 3 course meal was 20 euro but it none of the dishes were memorable. The dishes had a home cooked feeling, as if you could make the dishes at home, but nothing tasted out of this world. My bf got the short ribs and I got the baby chicken. Neither dishes were that great. Dessert was probably the best part of the meal. I probably would not return. For those who do not know the language: Owner speaks English. Waitresses know little English.

Not sure what "SCI Charlotte" refers to. This restaurant is called, variously,…read moreResto Charlotte, Chez Charlotte, or Restaurant Charlotte, at least online, as far as I can tell. On the other hand, there's no actual sign or label at the unassuming entrance on rue des Bernardines -- which could generously be called a side street but almost borders on an alley. This is NOT your typical restaurant in touristy Aix-en-provence. We sought it out because a website described it as the sort of place that the Aixoise would go. Well, that may be, and I certainly would not blame them, but there were plenty of tourists there when we dined on a weekday. (They basically open at 8pm, a more French dining time, while most establishments in the city accommodate touristic tastes and open as early as 7. In fact, our rather entertaining waiter seemed to speak French, English, and German fluently (to hear him banter with nearby tables) -- although he couldn't manage Mandarin. How to describe the food? "Unpretentious" would be accurate but maybe slightly misleading. It is a fantastic deal for a full meal compared to most sit-down restaurants in Aix. Expect well-executed, classic but un-fussy French cuisine in a pleasant outdoor courtyard. The vibe is fun, even on a less crowded evening. The two of us had the summer special gazpacho (amazing, and quite spicy) and the chicken liver pate (also very good) for entrees. Our main courses were a steak and a fillet of veal, both served with french-fry-like hash browns and haricot verts. A plum clafoutis and a nicely caramelly tarte tatin rounded out this meal -- very traditional bistro fare. (Both desserts were tasty, without being mind blowingly good or especially original.) At 40 Euros (tax + tip included, of course) for two people, including one glass of house red and one coffee, I think Chez Charlotte's menu might be the best deal in Aix.