Best Western La Mare O Poissons — Hotel in Caen

Spent a Mon-Fri break at this lovely little hotel last week. Whole place very clean. Every staff member we encountered was friendly and make a good effort to speak to us in English which we really appreciated as our French is pants. Great to be able to park outside. A mixed clientele of English and French couples - didn’t see any kids but we were there outside school holidays. Room was lovely and had everything we needed, although a mini fridge would have been a nice addition. The bathroom was particularly lovely and we made use of both the in-room heating and the air-con as we had some mixed weather. Black out curtains were so good we slept through breakfast one day! Bed was very comfortable. Hotel was always quiet - despite being next to the lift we never heard people passing and it was often quiet in the lobby/bar area. There was a filtered water machine on both floors which was appreciated.|Perfectly located for the ferry port - was nice not to have to drive far once we disembarked on the Monday afternoon, and very nice to only be 5 minutes away when we needed to be at the port by 7am the Friday morning. |Breakfast was lovely - unexpectedly included bacon and scrambled eggs - bacon went very well with the pancakes and maple syrup! Also a nice mix of fresh bread/pastries etc.|The pool looked lovely but we didn’t use it - just too tired when returning from our days out! Did note though that swimming shorts were not allowed, so prepare accordingly men! |Was nice to sit outside and have a drink on our last evening (this was really the only evening the weather was nice enough for this).|It’s not part of the hotel but there is a restaurant Padam Padam which we ate at and were very pleased that we did, would recommend booking as it did get busy, and check opening - it seemed to be closed on the Thursday night and we saw several locals turn up for a meal only to see it was closed. |We booked through booking,com and the hotel took a not insignificant deposit just before our stay, and then took full payment as we left, which to be honest we were a bit surprised about as the deposit would usually be taken off total. We had been able to put our drinks on ‘the room’ which is the only reason we went to the desk to pay - otherwise I would have assumed that if already paid. I’ll get the deposit back apparently. |All in all, would recommend to anyone travelling to this part of France, and if we were to ever need a hotel in Ouistreham again, we would...

I have stayed here numerous times over the last 7 years sometimes 4 or 5 times a year. I have always given it top marks on the booking sites as it has been a lovely hotel in which to stop over when using the ferry. On my last trip this changed. I returned from a day out to find that my room had not been serviced. I went to the front desk to enquire and once I had wrested the staff member away from the rugby match on tv I merely got a shrug of the shoulders and was told there was no one to undertake the task. There was no apology; no offer of partial refund or recompense. I was asked if there was anything I really needed otherwise what was the problem!This was from the relatively new proprietor and since she took over the service has declined. She clearly has a bad attitude problem and hardly seems suited to be in the hospitality business. Such a shame as I have always previously got on very well with the staff there who have always been very helpful and friendly and some of whom I was on first name terms with. When I checked out last time I mentioned my concerns over the treatment I had received and said that I might try a different hotel next time and I was persuaded not to and to try once more. This I did last week only to have my booking cancelled because the proprietor didn't like my attitude in the last review which merely outlined my experience during the stay and when I challenged this I was told that in addition I had made a racist remark to one of the staff. That was absolute and utter nonsense as apart from the proprietor I have never had any problems with the staff there. I suggest that Best Western maybe should look at the franchise arrangement as she does their...

We stayed at the hotel for 4 nights in two rooms as a family of four, including 2 kids. The small rooms were clean but lacked space for drying swimwear and had no fridge, offering only a bed and a small desk. The breakfast was reasonable, although it became somewhat uninspiring after four days. The pool was decent, matching the depiction and description, but it could get crowded with 2-3 families. On the positive side, the staff was very friendly and forthcoming, and the hotel bar was okay with local beer and snacks available. The price was fair for the overall experience. Moreover, the staff's excellent language skills made communication effortless.

One aspect to consider is that the hotel is located a little far from Ouistreham town and the beach. However, this location offers a great advantage for those planning to explore Normandy, as it provides fast access to main roads, making it convenient for day trips.

Unfortunately, the on-site restaurant was recently closed during our stay, which might be a drawback for those who prefer dining options within the hotel.

Taking everything into account, considering the fair price, the friendly staff, and the hotel's suitability for exploring Normandy, I'd lean towards...