Le Domaine de Baulieu

We were greeted by a very friendly à helpful receptionist speaking very good English. He is a great asset to the team, thank you for your help. Lovely setting and large clean room with extra large bed. No kettle but a well stocked room fridge, hot drinks available from the bar area next to the reception area. No telephone communication, I guess everything is by mobile phone now. We were on the first floor and found going down the stairs a hazard, the sensor didn’t work until close to the bottom step! Going up the stairs no problem. A handrail is required for safety purposes when getting in and out of the shower over the bath. The four stars are awarded to the hotel, I didn’t include the restaurant as part of the experience. Restaurant is pleasant and the serving staff were very friendly, but only offer two tasting menus, a five or eight course. We only learnt this once we had sat down and the waitress presented us with the choice! I personally wouldn’t choose to have a tasting menu, It’s generally way too rich for me. The menu was all about duck, hardly surprising given where the hotel is! However, i couldn’t eat the fois gras, it was undercooked for my liking and had too many veins still intact. Thé half magret was nice enough but nothing new. Cheese course ugh, a slice of goats cheese hidden in a foam of creamy fluff, i couldn’t eat it ( and yes i do like goats cheese normally). Pudding was all about chocolate and lacked texture, lots of creams and fondant. Sorry, not the best experience for me. Oh, and to be super critical, please change your cheap cutlery!

We arrived on a Sunday night in November and were disappointed to find the restaurant was shut. However, I suspect that is not unusual in the South of France. The lodge rooms are well-designed, with a great view. The restaurant promises more than it delivers. We felt the choice could be broader at breakfast in particular. The staff were friendly.

The main problem with this place was the mosquitoes. They were HORRIBLE. No one could sleep due to the mosquitoes in the room; my room (20) in particular was not as bad, but it's because of the copious bug spray that was there when I arrived. It made the room smell for the duration of my stay (3 nights) and made it hard to sleep. The room was just OK - a bit damp and dreary, but functional enough. The staff and service was very good, and the restaurant was a highlight as well. However the bugs were enough to ensure a poor stay - we could not use the outdoor areas at all. This could easily be solved by treating or removing the bushes around the property and ensuring there is no standing water at any time in the spring/summer