Hotel Château Le Cagnard (Cagnes-sur-Mer, France)

The rooms here are truly exceptional. The beds have luxurious linens and give a restful sleep. The bathrooms are large, with rain showers or rolltop baths. The decor and ambiance of the entire property is intimate and classy, from the common areas to the restaurant.

The hotel dates back to 14th century, but has been completed renovated. Many rooms overlook the charming streets of the mediaeval village. Some rooms have views of the sea. That charm extends to the restaurant, which has a sliding ceiling that extends dining to eating under the stars.

If the staff knows of special occasions, such as birthdays or honeymoons, you'll get some special touches in your stay. For those who book events and weddings, the service is polite, accommodating, and organised.

The service and quality of the restaurant doesn't keep pace with the rest of the stay. Breakfast and dinner have limited choices and unimaginative presentation. The taste is also lacklustre.

The hotel is located along narrow and winding streets that are almost impossible to manoeuvre in the dark. The hotel even has a carpark where guests can park and then wait to be collected in a shuttle bus. Parking so far away can be inconvenient and those narrow streets make exploring a day time activity.

The staff takes its sweet time getting around to things, such as cleaning the rooms. The housekeeping is also lax in other ways as the rooms are often missing needed items, such as toilet tissue, glasses, or towels. The Wi-Fi also seems to be stuck in a slow gear.