Grand Hôtel Richelieu — Hotel in Arcachon

Already when we entered the room, we felt this extrem smell of sweat and mold. We asked for another room at the reception, but they said they are booked out. Moreover, the person at the reception said this smell is normal and that we should open the window. We did leave the windows open the whole night.

We soon realized That actually the shower and the toilet both have NO VENTILATION system at all. So all the humidity from the shower or the odors from the toilet can only go into the room. I'm not sure how this is even allowed nowadays - it is clear that this place was renovated in a cheap and very short sighted manner.

The next day we talked to the manager And invited him to our room. He admitted that it does smell humid. Nevertheless, no gesture or any compensation at all. Btw, we were on our honeymoon there, also no gesture or comment, but that was the least problem of our stay.

To conclude, Well located, nicely renovated, but with poor quality and humidity and mould smell. You also need to find another place where you "can do your business", otherwise it might get a little uncomfortable in the room. You can forget about the parking, very limited spaces. Pray to get silent neighbors, you will hear everything...

Unfortunately we cannot recommend this Hotel. The rooms are nicely renovated, but our room (room 50) smelled extremely (!) unpleasant (humid / moldy). We informed the reception which was very friendly but couldn't give us another room since the hotel was booked out. So we decided to stay in that room over night due to lack of alternatives. After sleeping with the windows wide open, the smell hadn't vanished over night at all. So next day, we informed the hotel manager. He couldn't speak English very well, admitted the smell but said it was normal. It definitely wasn't normal! It smelled definitely unhealthy - especially for me being allergic to mold. The manager showed no understanding and asked us to pay the entire amount. His staff was friendly, but he didn't seem to care / understand that you can't offer a moldy room to your customers. Furthermore, the bathroom and toilet are not ventilated at all. I.e. if you do your business, the entire room will get the special odor. Lastly, the walls are extremely thin so that you hear every word of your neighbor's conversations. (not a huge problem for me since I'm used to sleeping with ear...

Disappointing stay despite the sea view and great breakfast service

Unfortunately, the hotel is very old and poorly maintained. The room was extremely small, with furniture and fixtures literally falling apart. The air-conditioning unit is outdated and very noisy — I couldn’t sleep because of the constant rattling.

The mattress was old and sagging, and the bed was made with just two thin sheets — no proper duvet. I found a blanket tucked away in the wardrobe, which didn’t feel clean or welcoming.

The bathroom was tiny and extremely outdated, with barely any space to move.

The only positives were the beautiful sea view and the excellent breakfast: freshly squeezed juice, a nice selection of fruits, and eggs prepared any way you like. The young man serving breakfast was absolutely wonderful — always smiling and providing excellent service, which made the mornings a real pleasure.

Sadly, despite the lovely view and kind staff at breakfast, the overall condition of the room makes it hard to recommend this hotel. I would not...