On a 1 month trip through France and Germany, the one thing most looked forward to by my wife and I was staying in a castle. Thus the anticipation down out the boredom of a 7 hour drive across France, and the somewhat out of the way location (over an hour drive from the famous castles of the Loire) seemed acceptable.

The excitement that mounted while driving down the long driveway quickly disapated shortly after our arrival, though. After getting no response when ringing the bell near the parking area, we went to the front door. However, everything was closed and we found no reception area.

After standing outside, confused, for some 5 minutes, someone finally came out. But it was not the reception we had anticipated. We were told, quite rudely, that this was private property and we needed to leave.

A long conversation/argument followed. We were at the correct spot, but were told we had no reservation. After showing a printed copy of the e-mails with the owner regarding, in which our reveration was made, the person we were speaking with admitted he was the owner and the he was the one who had written the emails. Though the reservation was agreed to via e-mail, he had not written it down in his reservation book.

Thus, we were not given a room (all of the rooms were available, but not "ready", and he clearly had no intention of readying them simply because we were there) and left, with the owner insisting the whole time the our "lack of reservation" was our fault (telling us repeatedly only what was written in his reservation book mattered, not what was agreed to via e-mail).

We left disgusted and have no intention of every trying to stay there again, particularly as we found someplace far nicer and with a much more ideal location, and for only a little more (Domaine de la Tortiniere).

Perhaps others who actually managed to stay at this castle will have a better opinion. My only warning is to somehow make sure your reservation has been written in the book before making your way there, or you may find yourself greeted with comments such as those we were greeted with.