Airelles Château de la Messardière

The service by the hotel was really good. We enjoyed both our complimentary breakfast and lunch buffet. The hotel provide free shuttle rides to the town and private beach clubs as well. The gardens are beautiful The sauna and steam room was very hot, way above the normal spa in other hotels which are slightly strange. The pools are okay not particularly special. Dinner at the Italian restaurant in the hotel is very overpriced and food is mediocre. We had to send the carbonara back because it was inedible with the amount of salt in it. The most puzzling issue we had was actually our room is fully lighted in white light, which is not common in a 5 star luxury hotel. There was no ambient light. The bathroom looks like a hospital toilet, and the decor looks outdated. We requested to change to other rooms but the hotel said they are full. It was then we found out that some rooms have already been refurbished with better lightings, and some are still dated. It made us wonder whether they gave us an outdated room because we booked via a third party website and not direct. We had high expectations because this is a 1500 dollars stay, and we expected way more for the room. Despite liking the service, we have to say it is not value for money, and the hotel can do way better in terms of their room and restaurant.

We stayed here for 3 days in what was billed as a ‘junior suite’. The room was small and not really a suite, but a largish bedroom. Very disappointing for the 3k plus price charged. Style-less decor and a sweltering bathroom. Overall we were completely underwhelmed by our experience here. The hotel is charmless and ordinary. By day 2 we decided it was really like a Disney cruise ship experience. There are gaggles and gaggles of school age kids traveling with parents and a few nannys in tow...this place ain’t cheap…There are groaning buffets breakfasts and equally overstuffed buffet lunches. If you don't arrive just as the buffet opens, the place is in shambles with half empty platters , a frazzled waitstaff and inedible picked -over looking food. The spa is decent, the restaurant waitstaff tried really hard. The concierge was just absent even though he was sitting at the front desk with a sign in front of him. We asked for help with one dinner reservation. 6 hours later I had to call to follow up and he gruffly told me’ don't you know there are many other guests in the hotel?’…really ? At 3k plus a night, one tiny request for a dinner reservation and this is the response? I ended up making the reservation myself. Staff at front desk is useless….go elsewhere..a big big big disappointment. Gigantic disappointment for the price. A Sheraton in Des Moines is more exciting.

I travel quite a bit, and like 5 star hotels. This place blew away any other place I have ever stayed. The property is impeccable, the food is outstanding, the pools are fantastic and the service far exceeded our expectations. This place is a must see if you visit St. Tropez.