Domaine la Pierre Blanche — Restaurant in Arles

This was our second consecutive year staying at Domaine. Firstly, we again thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The rooms are spacious, clean and well-designed, whilst the pool is tranquil. Most days, there was no issue whatsoever in getting one of the very comfortable day beds around the pool, as the hotel only has 15 rooms and not all fellow guests chose to use the facility. The pool area is very relaxed, with quite a hands off approach from staff. Food and drink can be ordered by pressing a small buzzer, with guests otherwise allowed to rest and relax on their own. For us as a couple, this was exactly what we wanted. Our overall highlight is Ambar, a fabulous outdoor bar with fine views of sunset over the Alpilles. You could go there every evening and not be bored and we went twice, in addition to exploring nearby towns.

There are a few small things to flag, if those looking to book are more discerning and are more concerned by finer details. Firstly, the minimal nature of the pool service may not work for everyone (though very much did for us), for instance it was rare that a coffee cup ordered around 11am had been cleared by the time we retired to the room at 630pm. Secondly, housekeeping didn't have the attention to detail we experienced last year, for example not replacing the shower gel, so we needed to ask more three times before it was replenished. Again, we are not pushy or put off by having to ask reception, but it holds the service back from being truly amazing.

Lastly, the restaurant. L'Opale remains a really classy restaurant and some of the most interesting food I've eaten. However, this year we were struck by its seeming attempts to push itself to new levels, which is admirable. The menu is sophisticated and adventurous and they are clearly looking to move towards the Michelin Star universe. However, we felt the restaurant had actually regressed from last year. Prices are very high, more expensive than many a central London restaurant, for portions which are fairly small and, although still very good, didn't blow us away. This may be a personal taste thing, as the menu has changed from last year, but for instance the cod was under seasoned. Again, as a couple we are very happy to pour our own water and wine, but when paying over the odds perhaps this should be included in the service. It feels like the restaurant either needs to make it's food truly exceptional, or keep it simpler and be fantastic at the mid-upper price point.

Overall, a few things for potential travellers to bear in mind. We still had a lovely time and will be booking a short break at Domaine next year. Its facilities and tight knit group of staff make it a welcoming and...

From the moment we drove through the gates we knew this was going to be special. The Hacienda-style buildings, surrounded by ancient olive trees and lavender spread over a large acreage, set the scene. ||After the wonderful reception we received from Ana, Floris and their staff, including a welcoming glass of Rosé from an adjoining vineyard, we discovered a warm and well-equipped bar and lounge area stepping through to a modern and spacious indoor restaurant which extended on to a large outdoor terrace, with shade options to allow you to enjoy your meals and drinks in the beautiful Provence summer weather.||There are only 9 guest rooms which are close together on this large site, which had obviously been an olive grove and the many old trees spread around the site are still giving fruit. The rooms were modern and had everything you would expect of a 5-star facility. The large bath and amazing shower set up was something we hadn’t seen before. All of the rooms back onto the pool area and have a deck where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, some local produce or a room service meal. Due to the small number of rooms on a large site it felt like a private retreat. The only time there were numbers of people around was at lunch and dinner, as the restaurant is open to the public, which enhanced the atmosphere, particularly at dinner.||An excellent buffet breakfast enjoyed on the terrace made a great start to the day and the culinary experience of the restaurant in the evening was as good as we have enjoyed anywhere in the world! The wine offering was dominated by some very, very good local product.||The amazing pool and its facilities including day beds, sun lounges and a bar were perfect after a morning discovering Provence to relax enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail and unwind slowly into dinner. Although most of the time the hotel was full and it was hot, it was like your own private pool.||The well-trained and friendly staff, all multi-skilled, were available to attend to any requirement anywhere on site.||We would rate our week here as good as any place we have stayed in our many trips to Europe, in particular France. We didn’t want to leave. The other bonus is that it is only a couple of kilometres to Eygalières, a must visit village, with a wonderful Market on Fridays and a number of great...

From the moment we drove through the gates we knew this was going to be special. The Hacienda-style buildings, surrounded by ancient olive trees and lavender spread over a large acreage, set the scene. ||After the wonderful reception we received from Ana, Floris and their staff, including a welcoming glass of Rosé from an adjoining vineyard, we discovered a warm and well-equipped bar and lounge area stepping through to a modern and spacious indoor restaurant which extended on to a large outdoor terrace, with shade options to allow you to enjoy your meals and drinks in the beautiful Provence summer weather.||There are only 9 guest rooms which are close together on this large site, which had obviously been an olive grove and the many old trees spread around the site are still giving fruit. The rooms were modern and had everything you would expect of a 5-star facility. The large bath and amazing shower set up was something we hadn’t seen before. All of the rooms back onto the pool area and have a deck where you can sit and enjoy a glass of wine, some local produce or a room service meal. Due to the small number of rooms on a large site it felt like a private retreat. The only time there were numbers of people around was at lunch and dinner, as the restaurant is open to the public, which enhanced the atmosphere, particularly at dinner.||An excellent buffet breakfast enjoyed on the terrace made a great start to the day and the culinary experience of the restaurant in the evening was as good as we have enjoyed anywhere in the world! The wine offering was dominated by some very, very good local product.||The amazing pool and its facilities including day beds, sun lounges and a bar were perfect after a morning discovering Provence to relax enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail and unwind slowly into dinner. Although most of the time the hotel was full and it was hot, it was like your own private pool.||The well-trained and friendly staff, all multi-skilled, were available to attend to any requirement anywhere on site.||We would rate our week here as good as any place we have stayed in our many trips to Europe, in particular France. We didn’t want to leave. The other bonus is that it is only a couple of kilometres to Eygalières, a must visit village, with a wonderful Market on Fridays and a number of great...