We planned to stop here to break up our drive to Cannes from Paris. Chose it online from the US, about 6 weeks in advance. When we arrived, later than expected due to delays leaving Paris, the main hotel driveway was blocked due to construction. We circled the block, searching for a way in. There was no clear signage as to where we should park. We finally entered a parking structure adjacent to the hotel, and found signs inside directing us to an exclusive area of the garage reserved for our hotel's guests. However, upon entering that area, we found to our dismay that all parking slots were taken, and the exit gate closed behind us. Frustrated, we called the hotel's front desk, and were informed that we could park elsewhere in the parking garage with no penalty if this section was full. We were also given a four digit code to raise the door.
We found a suitable parking space, and secured our car. However, at that time, we could find no discernible way out of the parking garage. There was no clear signage marked in French or English as to where we should go to enter the hotel. Needless to say, we were exhausted after a long trip driving on unfamiliar roads. It was especially maddening to have to try to find our way out of a parking garage at 10 PM at night. Eventually, one of us followed a car back to the original reserved lot, and followed pedestrians into the hotel from there. Again, no clear signage was evident.
The clerk at the front desk offered to help us with our bags. Our group member told him that we had a lot of bags, and would need a baggage cart. He did not bring a bag card with him back to the parking garage, and when he arrived at our car, he saw that we actually needed a baggage cart. He left us there to go get a cart, and returned with a very small one like you would find at most European airports. We needed at least two of these when we arrived, so needless to say the small cart did not help much. He let us to an elevator which was way too small to fit all the luggage and any people. In fact, it could barely hold one luggage cart by itself. We realize that European hotel elevators can be small, but this was beyond small. It took two trips up and down to move the luggage to our room.
Two other members of our group got stuck inside the parking garage, because they did not know about the only way out for pedestrians. It seems as though the parking issues need to be fixed, or at least place clear signs so people know where to go. Don't get us wrong - the clerk helped as best he could, but it is very physically inconvenient to get from the parking garage to the hotel, and was compounded by the fact that we are traveling in a foreign country.
For three people, our room is adequate, if on the small side. The couch in the room had already been made up for our daughter when we checked in, so that was a nice touch. The air conditioning does not seem to work, and I realize this is an American thing, but honestly, what do Europeans have against ice? It's a simple thing to provide. I feel I am fairly sensitive to differences in culture, but if you're working to please the people that frequent your hotel, you want to provide things that those guests want, which for most Americans includes ice.
We were told when checking out to exit to exit the hotel, go outside, descend a steep ramp and go into the parking structure as if we were a car to take our luggage back to the car, which was on the second level. It was raining when we visited, and those directions didn't appear entirely safe for all hotel guests.
Overall, I would recommend that the hotel plan to close for a few days, so they could complete the construction/renovation, and open with a clear entrance to the hotel, or at least add some signage. read more
