Five star review! Our visit to the Luberon Valley with Mike Rijken/Wine Safari truly was a…read morehighlight of our trip to Provence. It was everything we hoped for and more! We truly could not imagine a more expert - yet friendly and approachable - guide than Mike. During our day with him we tasted wonderful wines and learned from his expert guidance about how to fully appreciate the wine's aroma, color, and flavor. In addition to his expertise on tasting and pairing with food, he was incredibly informative about the agricultural and production side of wine making. We learned a great deal about the history and geography of the Luberon and sub-areas within it, and how they influence the wine produced there. Mike is clearly an experienced professional, with a passion for wine and its producers in Provence. Also, we are not the most knowledgeable wine drinkers, so I'm sure a lot of our questions were elementary for him, but if they were, he never let on; his enthusiasm for teaching meant that no question was too basic. We truly could not imagine a better guide than Mike. Mike was a delight to spend the day with. From a logistics POV, my husband and I rode with Mike in his van so we could enjoy the views of the countryside and vineyards. I highly recommend doing this, rather than taking your car. He was very responsive in our communications before we met up and prompt and courteous in all interactions with him. He even greeted us with croissants for breakfast when he picked us up at our hotel! We also learned that Mike isn't just a great guide, he's a thoughtful and generous soul. In a completely unrelated matter, my husband and I had had a mechanical issue with our rental car, causing it to be towed the day before. While we rode with Mike I called the rental car company to see about getting our car back from the mechanic, but I was not having much luck (what little French I speak is poor, and the company reps spoke limited English). Mike heard me struggling, and he very kindly offered to translate, speaking with the representative of the rental car company a few times, as well as to the garage where our rental car had been repaired. Because of him, we got our car back that day! Mike even dropped us off at the garage to pick up the car, going inside with us to make sure all was in order! We are deeply grateful to him for his help, as it allowed us to fully enjoy the next two (final) days of our vacation in a way we couldn't have without a car. What a great guy! Again, we recommend Mike and Wine Safari with all five stars! Thanks again, Mike, for sharing your knowledge and experience (and for helping us out in a jam). We hope to visit Provence again sometime and look forward to spending time with you again!

Mike Rijken, Is an amazingly well informed, incredibly…read morefriendly wine tour guide to the southern Rhone. A journey with him, being a winegeek such as myself, was awesome in that i did learn quite a few new things! It really was a moderate fee to pay for his jolly wit, and his expertise in how to communicate with his clients. Dig it. When ever in the south of France, look him up!

According to the hotel by-line, the hotel came into existence in 1799. It blows me away that I get…read moreto experience part of this history while enjoying the modern amenities the hotel has implemented. The bed was extremely comfortable, the sheets/towels/robes were luxurious, the AC in the room was quiet as I'm averse to noise while trying to get a good night sleep, the bathroom was large & roomy. Even though I was on the second floor, I couldn't hear anything from upper floors. It is conveniently located with a short walk to the main commercial area & the wall/bridge. I basically walked everywhere while my friend rented a bicycle from a nearby place (the hotel should be able to point you where) to discover more. My friend & I stayed in rooms 201 & 211. 201 is sun dappled, has a view to a street and a modest bathroom. 211 has more of a courtyard view with a large bathroom with separate bathtub & shower. Tips: You have to leave the room key with the frontdesk as it's on a heavy bell. Book early and be specific about your preferences. Each room is different & as this was founded in 1799 & modernized, there may be a few quirks (for example, it required two steps to unlock the room door). No fault of the hotel, there are some eateries directly across that played loud music in the evening. Try avoiding the rooms facing that direction. Suggestions: Some of the frontdesk people seemed inexperienced & can seem a little overwhelmed if there were some questions/requests OR a larger group at the same time. One sign of this was that either none of them will respond or all of them will try to respond at the same time & talk to each other while ignoring the guest who asked the question/request. Some of them seem to be taking directions from the porters which was unusual. A taxi was ordered for us to take us to the train station but direction was given to take us to the wrong station. Luckily, we discovered it in time & had to scramble into another taxi. The breakfast staff also seemed a bit overwhelmed. They seemed taken aback & flustered when we asked for hot water (come on, we're Americans but surely a lot of the Brits ask for hot water for tea, haha). For omelette, there was only a choice of cheese or ham. No basic vegetables such as mushroom, onion, bell peppers. I'm going to chalk all this up to the pandemic & challenge in staffing with experienced staff.

That's the ticket! We spent so much time here they thought we worked there! The bar was always…read moreaccommodating, and all the food was delectable... it's just the perfect place for friendship and coffee, we were There morning noon and night. They stay open until 2am which is rare in Avignon, so that's a pro tip. The art in the lobby was very impressive to. My mother in law stayed there and she liked it so that's something to write home about. Plus she ate all the nuts they would give her. It was pretty nuts. I highly recommend this place if ever you are in the south of France!

A nice terrace and meal. Had fois gras appetizer and it was great! Also had the veal for two but it…read morewas undercooked and not the best. Breakfast was free and some selections are good but some are so-so. Great cappuccino! Lovely view. Fantastic wines and Billecart rosé champagne was lovely.

Beautiful place, hotel with view on the Luberon, nice bedrooms, nice pool…read more But hotel capacity is too small. When We arrived, restaurants ( Bistronomique like gastronomique ) were full! We had to take our car again and find a place for eating at 8pm... the spa is probably great but overbooked when we arrived...so a beautiful relais and château where you can't eat and relax...too bad :( Furthermore, The staff was not friendly. So really disappointed...

LBdG is one of the best hotels in the world, period…read more It's located on the top of the hill over looking the beautiful village of Gordes. Everything was top notch!! They made sure that my stay was more than just relaxing and comforting. They made sure everything I requested was done in a snap. From the first step into the hotel, the concierge to the front desk, they greeted me with smiles and warm welcomes. They kept my car clean and ready at all times and my room was spotless with fresh towels throughout the day. From room service to dining restaurants, the service and the food were just exquisite beyond my highest expectations. Big shout out to the concierge and everyone served me throughout my stay. I am a customer for life!! I had the hotel all to myself to the last day of October 27 before the closure for the winter months. What an unforgettable and unbelievable experience!! As far as I'm concern, even if no one can speak any English here, their actions have met all of my expectations and more LOUD & CLEAR. I love you LBdG!! Best to none!! The experience was EPIC!!

The bastides is a palace ( above 5 star) and as such everything should be 5 stars…read more This review is about the bar so it is not about the rooms nor the Michelin starred restaurant pierre gagnaire: In the afternoon after a walk in Gordes on a hot day we stopped at the terrace to have a drink The beers are expensive at $20 for 2 and we had to insist for some nibbles (we asked for peanuts; response from the waiter : "let me see what I can do "as if it was the first time such a simple request is made. He came back with a few salty biscuits ). At this price and in this class of hotel this should not even be a request . 3 star because the view from the hotel is amazing I will come back to stay in the hotel and try the main restaurant Hopefully I will be able to update my review

Perfect location right in the historic part of the city! We followed their directions and parked…read morefor free at the train station and walked in. Parking in the center is VERY limited.we had breakfast included in our room rate and it had many cold selections- breads, crepes, cheeses, meats, hard boiled eggs etc Be aware that all rooms require narrow stairs to get to. The do have a cute cafe on-site that we enjoyed a glass of wine from. Central to exploring the city!

This is a lovely rustic hotel. Just two blocks from Arles Amphitheater. Many dining options are…read morenearby. The rooms and lobbies are nicely decorated. It's. 3.5 stars ratings from me. Here's why: WiFi is a little slow, often glacial. Inner lock on our room doesn't work. We had to use keys given to us to lock it. Getting into shower stall was a bit tight, although it's nicely decorated. Breakfast buffet didn't look appetizing so we skipped it. And they don't have a freezer so there was no ice available.

It's a handsome building with lovely landscaping in the front…read more It's well arranged with many readable signs indicating train departures and arrivals. Nicely located to many shops and restaurants, just across the street.

A relatively painless stop in the center of Avignon. Three platforms are at your disposal. A lovely…read morecrepe shop and sandwich shop as well as a newsstand with drinks and trinkets are here and were nice spots to grab snacks or meals as we stopped here a number of times during our trip. Seems to serve as a regional train hub to many of the smaller towns and like many of the other train stations, it's easy to navigate. Most times, you don't have a lot of a choice of where you travel through and this is a good standard option.

Fine dining at Château des Fines Roches. An exquisite 3- to 7-course dinner experience with unique…read moredécor, refined flavors, and perfectly balanced combinations of delicate ingredients that come together for a truly supreme culinary experience. Service is professional, attentive, and seamlessly complements the elegance of the evening.

This was quite the experience. The chateau is located on a beautiful hill surrounded by vineyards…read moreso you get an amazing view. We stayed in one of the larger rooms and it def was super spacious even by American standards. Room was nicely decorated and bathroom looked new and modern. Our room overlooked the pool which we sadly didn't get to spend much time in. We ate at the restaurant one night and what a meal! Delicious! You can sit out in the patio for dinner and watch the sunset. Def bring some repellent however as the mosquitoes also got quite a meal out of me. Not a single complaint can be made of this place. If you are in the CDP area, def stay here for a few nights!

We booked a small room and it was quite spacious and comfortable. Wifi was good and the hotel AC…read moreworked great. The gentleman at the front desk was very friendly and helpful. Overall, a great place to stay, good location, and good value. It was quiet.

Yes, the hotel itself is probably an a-okay 3 stars, but the location was awesome!…read more If you need a room, this place was super convenient. It's only about 10-15 minute walking distance from the main intersection, and the area its in is full of shops, restaurants and cafes. I wish I got to stay out here longer! (That's the other thing, if you're ever out here in Avignon, try and stay for at least 3 or 4 days so you can take advantage of the nearby towns on a spiffy moped ((unless you hired a car of course, in that case, 2 days at this location is just dandy)). The hotel itself is clean, and a bit sterile feeling (including the receptionist), but nice enough. Their elevator wasn't working at the time (that was a huge pain, lemme tell ya), but we managed just fine. They provide wifi with a charge, so you're better off going by the maccas down the street to use theirs. They do offer breakfast if you need it (but there's plenty of cafes and boulangeries down the street), and this location seems to be popular for small groups and large families. The facilities are minimal, but you'll hardly be in the room anyway. It's easy enough navigating through the streets here, the only thing is I'd avoid the back streets really late at night as you'll likely be asked alot for spare change. Good, no frills accommodation in a great location!