Le Verger Sous les Vignes

Set in a very peaceful, hilly farming area this very quirky hotel, consisting of a number of linked, restored farmhouses, is more shabby than shabby-chic and is too far off the beaten track for holidaymaker traffic. The atmosphere is very informal, with very charming and helpful staff. The comfy reception lounge, with well-priced, self-serve, honesty minibar, is the only place with a wi-fi signal. Accommodation is unconventional; our family suite comprised two rooms containing three single beds and a double bed, with shower room and separate toilet booth. Some might describe furniture as rustic and and in-theme but I would describe as salvaged and random, with some coloured throws, sails, covers to add some cheer. Disturbingly, our toilet booth had no hand basin, so we had to navigate through three doors to get to hand basin in the shower room. Next to the (comfortable) double bed was a single-glazed door (lockable) leading onto a communal kitchen / lounge / playroom area. Luckily, on this occasion, there were no groups of friends sharing a bottle of wine or two before going to bed! If ever a doorway needed blocking up! Cleanliness was generally good, although the bird poo on the covered outdoor steps leading to our suite was off putting, as was the floor rag left outside our door - forgotten by cleaner? Makeshift doormat?? Dinner was served in the separate mansion (sic, actually an anonymous two storey building), which is reached by walking up some steps cut into the steep hill. As we approached the ‘mansion’, it was totally uninviting, with no signage to indicate the actual dining area - curiously, I was reminded of the abandoned house in the closing scenes of the Blair Witch Project. The dining area, with library lounge at one end, was airy and spacious, but more canteen than restaurant, with moth eaten-table cloths. The 3 course set-menu meal (€28 pp) came with no options (other tan kids’ meal). While service was charming, the dinner was bland (rustic?), meagre and disappointing; the lowlights being the roast duck served cold and the local Chardonnay served warm - in France! The walk back down to our room after dinner was adventurous in pitch black - thank goodness for iPhone flashlight function. We enjoyed a good night’s sleep; thankfully it was an unseasonably cool night - there were no outdoor windows in the main bedroom. Breakfast on covered terrace was superb and left us in a good mood following the challenges of night before. Full marks for unconventional but needs to be better. This location would suit as a team building exercise venue, or a get together for an extended family or rustic wedding but not as tourist base or overnight stop.