Ibis Montargis

Picture the scene. Four friends in the Place Victor Hugo in Montargis, a ville fleurie with mediaeval buildings, crisscrossing waterways and beautiful floral displays everywhere. We fancy a mid morning drink and there is the magnificent Hotel de la Poste. We enter the brasserie and are impressed. A huge room in the style of the 1900s, tables laid with linen, some people taking an early lunch, others like us just drinking, plenty of staff bustling about. Sadly, it seems the staff can look busy but not look out for new customers. But we’re in no hurry and eventually a waitress comes over. Our order is simple: 2 decaff cafés au lait, a regular coffee and a beer. The process is painfully slow as the waitress needs to concentrate on the electrical device strapped to her wrist. Eventually she can leave and we wonder how long it would take to order a meal. We have plenty of time to wonder but at last the drinks arrive. Alas! The two decaff are not decaff and must be removed. Replacements arrive but sacré bleu - they are black, not white! With a third attempt, coffees arrived smothered in whipped cream; too weary to seek yet another replacement, we drink up and ask for the bill. We were only charged for four drinks but begrudged the €20. As we left, we noticed the dried up and dying flowers on the hotel terrace - such a contrast to the marvellous planting elsewhere in the town. We should have known what to expect! Montargis the town, we loved; Hotel de la Poste, less so.