Hôtel Le Manoir Les Minimes — Hotel in Loches

Skip this place and stay somewhere else because of poor management policies and arrogance. Make sure you understand what you are signing up for when you book this hotel. It may be beautiful but it has a bunch of poor issues. I chose not to stay here because of the issues: 1) when you book for three nights, you get charged a 30% booking amount immediately, which is non refundable; this is absurd, especially if you are booking well in advance. 2) despite paying a high daily room rate, you pay 17.50 Euros extra per person for breakfast and you do not even get eggs made to order or fresh pastries 3) you can not eat or drink any of your own food or wine in the hotel - really? again, the arrogance is overwhelming 4) check the manager replies when they get any negative feedback; it also symbolizes the poor attitude and arrogance. Based on the existing reviews, most people seem to look past these issues and seemed to be consumed by the beauty of the place and it's good location.

I suggest that you think really hard before you book since there are so many really good other options in the Loire Valley like Les Fleurons (also beautiful and breakfast is included and guess what else? You can eat your cheese and wine on your veranda!) Plus, when I asked management about the cancellation policy, they said I was incorrect but it came straight from their website (see below). Thus, they do not even know their own policy and this seems to be a bit of a bait and switch. Cut & paste below is their cancellation policy from their Website - to me, it is crystal clear that when booking three nights, the 30% of the reservation is charged immediately and non-refundable. My suggestion - skip this place and stay somewhere else until these arrogant folks get off their high horse and address the issues!

Terms of cancellation - straight from their Website

Upon booking, 30% of the reservation is charged and non-refundable. If canceled 8 days before arrival, 70% of the reservation is charged and non-refundable. If canceled 2 days before arrival or in case of no show, 100% of the reservation is charged and non-refundable.

The above terms of cancellation were a direct cut & paste from the hotel's website. You see this notice through the booking process when you hover over the cancellation policy. It would be nice if the Manager would take a break from denying all of the issues in the reviews and do some real work like researching and correcting the cancellation policy, if, in fact, it is wrong?!

Again the Manager seems to spend most of his time replying to negative feedback; what a jerk. I can't wait to see his response to this review...my prediction is that he will go bat-crazy and try to discredit me. How can you spot a poor hotel manager? When he does not have the fortitude to admit to and recognize issues and fix them. Instead of addressing the above issues, he rationalizes them and writes denials, denials and denials. If the Hotel Owner reads these messages, it is clear there is a need for a management shakeup. This is why I booked somewhere else and you...

I booked a room at this hotel for a wedding I had in Amboise. I booked the room about a month before the wedding. I had conversations via email with the staff who seemed friendly, however, they NEVER told me prior to my trip there was a curfew and check-in had to be before 10pm. I do not have an international cell phone plan, and they claimed to have called me to see when I was planning on checking in, but I did not receive anything. I flew into Paris, picked up my rental car and there was terrible traffic. I arrived to Amboise around 1:30am. I rang the doorbell and the gentleman refused to let me in. I explained that I had no where else to stay, and I would sleep on the streets if he did not let me in. He said that was not his problem. I called again, and they refused entry again. I explained that it was just me (a female) and one other girl. Two young American girls who don't speak French. I was scared. I started crying and BEGGING for them to let me in. The staff hesitantly opened the gate, snarled at us, berated us the entire walk up to our room and informed me that I was not allowed to use any of the amenities including any running water because I would "wake the guests". Mind you that includes the toilet, showers and sink. I could not use the bathroom, could not brush my teeth or shower for fear that I would get kicked out. At this point it was 2am. I was tired but stayed up looking for another hotel and booked it. I checked out when I got up the next morning, did not touch anything in the hotel and upon check out I informed them that I was not happy with the way I was being treated and I wanted my money back. The staff said this was not their problem (again), and charged my card the entire $400 even though I did not stay the second night. Ruined my first time in France. Do yourself a favor, DO NOT STAY HERE. Your money is better spent anywhere else...

During our mid-August stay at the hotel, the pleasant weather and well-maintained appearance of the establishment caught our attention. Upon arriving at the reception area, our initial impression was somewhat unwelcoming, as if the staff member behind the desk doubted our presence. However, once we mentioned our reservation, their demeanor became more professional, leading to an efficient and composed check-in process. The receptionist also kindly provided us with helpful advice for local activities, including recommendations for wine cellars and town attractions.

Continuing our day's activities, we returned to the hotel after dinner. Our assigned room was located outside the main building. Regrettably, the aspect that prompts me to give this hotel a 1-star rating pertains to the room itself. The lack of soundproofing in the ceiling allowed us to hear every movement of our upstairs neighbors. This deficiency struck me as quite unreasonable for a hotel with a 5-star rating. Despite our intention to retire early due to an early departure the following morning, our sleep was disrupted until late hours due to the noise. We reached out to the reception desk, only to be informed that there was little they could do and they suggested attempting to ask the occupants above us to be quieter.

In conclusion, this is a charming hotel with a well-kept appearance, attentive service adhering to established protocols. However, the room we were assigned fell far below expectations. The issue of noise insulation significantly impacted our experience. Given these factors, I would evaluate this hotel more in line with a 2-3 hotel star rating, despite being priced at the level of a 4-5 star...