Restaurant Ancien grand Séminaire — Restaurant in Saint-Flour

This was a truly awful experience.||||We called ahead to inform the hotel of our arrival time, but found no one at reception when we got there exactly as agreed. There was a function going on which seemed to preoccupy the staff to the exclusion of other guests. We rang the bell. We waited several minutes. Nothing. Several waiting staff passed carrying platters and we asked each of them to inform the receptionist of our arrival. Nothing. We rang the bell again. Nothing. Finally, a kindly young man took pity on us and offered to check us in. A few minutes later the actual receptionist arrived and told him off. Clearly helping people is not her thing. She offered no apology for her absence. ||||It then appeared that the hotel had not received our request for a table that evening for dinner. This is apparently a problem with Logis de France reservation software. Whatever you write in the message section is not transmitted as part of the booking. Logis de France need to fix this as it is annoying for both the clientele and the hotels themselves. As it was, the restaurant was clearly closed because of the function, and we had to go elsewhere to eat.||||Arriving back around midnight, we used the night entry door which was in a part of the building we were not familiar with. We took a wrong turn and ended up near the kitchen. The chef must have had a stressful evening. Instead of asking us if we were lost and directing us politely to our room, he yelled at us to get out. I explained (in French) that we were trying to access our room and asked which way to go. He continued yelling and told us to go back the way we had come. I commented sarcastically on the "warm welcome" we had received to which he bellowed "what did you say??" I replied that he had most certainly heard me and that I wasn't going to repeat it. Most unpleasant. Even his fellow colleagues were shocked judging by the looks on their faces. I think the chef needs to be reminded that clients should be treated respectfully and that it is the guests who pay his wages.||||The next morning, breakfast was somewhat chaotic. A roomful of people but just one member of staff around to assist. Only one coffee machine out of the three was working when we arrived. One of the other guests removed a reservoir and went off to fill it up with water. There were precisely two teabags remaining. Six inches of bread and the pains au chocolat had seen better days. The two apples in the bowl were soft and wrinkly. People ended up helping themselves to extra supplies from the cupboard in the corner. Not worth eleven euros.||||On checkout, I was, yet again, asked which group I was in, and yet again, replied that I wasn't. Perhaps I would have got better service if I had said I was. The same sullen receptionist presented me with a bill which stated that the room was priced at 84 euros when my Logis de France confirmation was for 80 euros. I questioned it, to be told that the difference arose because I had booked using the Logis de France software. Eh????? She then watched me as I inserted my American Express card twice, which was refused, but said nothing. When I then asked if they accepted American Express and she said they didn't. This was beginning to feel like a game. How hard did she have to try to annoy me before I eventually caved, and she got the fight she wanted? Are she and the chef in some sort of competition? I couldn't be bothered. I have more exciting things to do. Like get in the car and drive to...

This was a truly awful experience.||||We called ahead to inform the hotel of our arrival time, but found no one at reception when we got there exactly as agreed. There was a function going on which seemed to preoccupy the staff to the exclusion of other guests. We rang the bell. We waited several minutes. Nothing. Several waiting staff passed carrying platters and we asked each of them to inform the receptionist of our arrival. Nothing. We rang the bell again. Nothing. Finally, a kindly young man took pity on us and offered to check us in. A few minutes later the actual receptionist arrived and told him off. Clearly helping people is not her thing. She offered no apology for her absence. ||||It then appeared that the hotel had not received our request for a table that evening for dinner. This is apparently a problem with Logis de France reservation software. Whatever you write in the message section is not transmitted as part of the booking. Logis de France need to fix this as it is annoying for both the clientele and the hotels themselves. As it was, the restaurant was clearly closed because of the function, and we had to go elsewhere to eat.||||Arriving back around midnight, we used the night entry door which was in a part of the building we were not familiar with. We took a wrong turn and ended up near the kitchen. The chef must have had a stressful evening. Instead of asking us if we were lost and directing us politely to our room, he yelled at us to get out. I explained (in French) that we were trying to access our room and asked which way to go. He continued yelling and told us to go back the way we had come. I commented sarcastically on the "warm welcome" we had received to which he bellowed "what did you say??" I replied that he had most certainly heard me and that I wasn't going to repeat it. Most unpleasant. Even his fellow colleagues were shocked judging by the looks on their faces. I think the chef needs to be reminded that clients should be treated respectfully and that it is the guests who pay his wages.||||The next morning, breakfast was somewhat chaotic. A roomful of people but just one member of staff around to assist. Only one coffee machine out of the three was working when we arrived. One of the other guests removed a reservoir and went off to fill it up with water. There were precisely two teabags remaining. Six inches of bread and the pains au chocolat had seen better days. The two apples in the bowl were soft and wrinkly. People ended up helping themselves to extra supplies from the cupboard in the corner. Not worth eleven euros.||||On checkout, I was, yet again, asked which group I was in, and yet again, replied that I wasn't. Perhaps I would have got better service if I had said I was. The same sullen receptionist presented me with a bill which stated that the room was priced at 84 euros when my Logis de France confirmation was for 80 euros. I questioned it, to be told that the difference arose because I had booked using the Logis de France software. Eh????? She then watched me as I inserted my American Express card twice, which was refused, but said nothing. When I then asked if they accepted American Express and she said they didn't. This was beginning to feel like a game. How hard did she have to try to annoy me before I eventually caved, and she got the fight she wanted? Are she and the chef in some sort of competition? I couldn't be bothered. I have more exciting things to do. Like get in the car and drive to...

My husband had booked this hotel because he thought it would be a treat for our 37th wedding anniversary. Because I have some minor health issues he booked a twin room with ensuite. Sadly, very sadly, he was not told that there are three levels of room category. He thought "chambre comfort" meant a comfortable room. Wrong. I entered the reception area with a cheery greeting and was told my room was on the first floor. We went to view it. A very small room with a very small double bed. No good. Much glaring and checking of emails. Fortunately my husband had copies of the email exchange that had taken place to make the booking, Redirected to the third floor to find a two bedded room with a formica type table, two beds, a linoleum floor and a shower room smaller that the average wardrobe, I kid you not - the toilet overhung the shower tray - and that was minute - and there was barely room to stand in front of the basin without bumping your derierre against the wall behind you. I can honestly say that I have never, in nearly forty years of travelling in rural France, experienced anything like it. It was like being on retreat in a religious institution; not at all like being in a hotel in 21st century France. I expressed my concerns to the receptionist and (I think) the owner so they had the chance to remedy the situation. Nothing, The much acclaimed wi fi was only 'available' in one communal area on each floor ... only it wasn't. We both tried, we were with other guests who tried; we were not aware of anyone being able to connect. We ate in the restaurant which seemed to have good reviews. While the food itself was well cooked and well presented it was served luke warm and on cold plates. When I told the maitre d' this he said I should have told him sooner which I would have done if he had been present in the restaurant. Sadly there was no-one in reception when we left so there could be no resolution to the episode. If you want glorious views and a cheap room this hotel would be fine if you don't want any of the niceties of modern...