Sadly my family had a bad experience at this establishment. (Skip to the very bottom for the…read moresummary)
I'm American and speak very little French, but I try and I'm polite.
On holiday with my family in Switzerland and wanted to show the kids France. It was a short drive to Evian from our home base.
Called a couple days before and booked connecting rooms for two nights. Added the "half-board" meal option for the adults.
Showed up and checked in and headed to our rooms. They were on the third floor and we took the stairs as there is no elevator. On the way up we noticed stuff everywhere. Stuffed animals, pictures, little tables with tea cups on saucers, weird little trinkets... when we arrived at the rooms it was the same in the hallway and all over the very small rooms. This was all tolerable though not our taste.
In the room we immediately got hit with strong potpourri and fragrance sticks in liquid. This was a problem for the entire family as we are sensitive to strong fragrances. We opened the windows and hid the potpourri but even after 15 mins it was intolerable.
We went down immediately and requested to only stay one night as it was going to be rough on us. Sébastien Buet, the owner, said that we booked two nights and the room was cleaned and we could leave early but would need to pay the second night. Apparently we were within their cancellation policy. I was not happy but said ok.
I asked to cancel the dinner and breakfast for the seconds night/next morning as we were leaving in the morning. He said ok.
On to dinner... we arrived at the earliest seating because we have 2 young children. It was a 7:15 seating. We were handed the fixed menu-du-jour for the adults and a children's menu for the kids. There was no English so we asked Jean, the restaurant manager, for explanations and he gave us weak, negative effort. His attitude was basically the middle finger without saying it or doing it.
We did not prefer the menu du jour options so we ordered different appetizers and entrees for a supplemental fee. He also rudely said to me while walking away from the table "you want wine or no!". Classy dude that Jean.
The issues did not end there. One entree was completely wrong and Jean blamed me with his negativity. The filet mignon was ordered medium well and it was rare. We sent it back and it came out extra well done. I should have know better...
With our prepaid menu cheese course and dessert were included, or so we thought... the server comes over and says that since you totally changed the menu with your supplemental order you only get cheese OR dessert. This was interesting.
We asked for someone to speak with to explain what was going on. Turns out after 10 mins of somewhat embarrassing conversation, we are informed that he owner, Sébastien Buet, told the manager that we canceled our second night and the fixed menu is only good if we stay two nights so the dinner is ala carte pricing.
Let's rewind, owner tells me I can't cancel second night so I agree to pay. Since I will be gone I cancel second dinner. He does NOT mention anything about the fixed menu being cancelled. I'm handed only the fixed menu menu at dinner. I never even see the ala carte menu. I order off the fixed menu and happily agree to pay the supplemental up charge. Waiter says I don't get the full meal. Basically, it was all bad. We ask to speak with Sébastien and are told he's gone for the night. We leave without cheese, dessert and are upset.
Next morning I check out and pay the second night charge and ala carte price which was well higher than the fixed + supplemental fee.
I wait for Sébastien to arrive at 9am. He walks by me 3 times and ignores me. I ask the front desk to get him so I can share a few words (I'm super calm through all this because I'm not going to be a ass in front of my little ones). Lydwine (excellent) comes back with a smile and a shrug and says "Sébastien does not want to talk to you". COWARD...
My kids learned a few very important life lessons that day and Sébastien Buet, Jean and Les Cygnes in Evian will forever be referenced in our life stories of how not-to-be.
Bottom line: if you do not speak or read French, do not like tiny rooms stuffed to the gills with gaudy crap and horrible potpourri masking other unpleasant odors, do not like rude people and cowardly proprietors then skip this place or you will feel like I did... Chevy Chase In European vacation.
By the way, this is not an American rant against French people. Switzerland is epic on all accounts and the French speakers are beyond friendly and helpful.