To stay at this hotel is to be the cat who has the cream amongst tourists in St Jean de Luz. It's situation is unparalleled right on the beach and what a gorgeous beach it is. We were amazed to be met upon arrival by the charming Manager who spoke to us in English and offered us a cold beverage. Tis true there are lots of extra charges - breakfast being very expensive - but like other reviewers have noted if you just roll with it you will become enamoured of this place before you leave. Our rooms were well refurbished and even though they faced the rear and the road they were not too noisy. Princess Pippa was content. I LOVED the outdoor seating area where I lounged with cocktails and cigarettes before dinner and read the newspapers after swimming during the afternoon. Everything in French hotels is more formal than in Anglo Saxonia but I kind of liked it. The restaurant is good but not excellent, however it's worth a million dollars to sit outside overlooking the sunset and eat dinner. You really cannot do this in style anywhere else in St Jean de Luz. If you don't happen to like to restaurant there are a great many others to choose fro and many very good ones. Garage beneath hotel is much needed and although tight one is so glad to have a space one is grateful for anything. Sure it's expensive but believe me you will be glad you are there when you see the competition. Foreigners open your wallets and beat a path to this delightful spot.

Looks grand but the rooms and bathroom could do with a makeover,There was dampness (the wall was black behind the curtain right side) on the wall below the window.What i thought was (putty)a filling at the shower screen,was actually dirty.We had a room with a sea view( at great expence to our daughter's and their husband's).This was a 50th wedding anniversarie present.We were there for two nights B/B +evening meal with wine,also champagne in the room on arrival.My husband took an extra slice of ham and cheese for breakfast and we were charged extra for this,altho i had only taken a small breakfast.The staff were very nice and welcoming and the little extra touches in the room strawberries,macraroones etc were very nice.also the setting.It was a lovely thought on my family's part but too way expensive for what you get.Would we go again? no.Just sorry my family's grand jester was let down by the hotel.

PERFECTION ! Attention to details ! Excellent service at the front desk ! Great expereince.

We booked GHL thinking it would be an indulgent treat after a week of self-catering – a ‘reassuringly’ expensive hotel on the beach in an historic French resort.

The Loremar is quite grand, certainly expensive and it sits right on the beach, but if you’re looking for luxury, it’s more mid-range country house hotel than top end cosseting.

I’d guess our room had last been refurbished around 10 years ago and was looking tired, rips in the wall paper, a rusting stand in the bathroom which at 400 euros a night, was disappointing. There was no arguing with the ocean view we paid extra for however - spectacular.

The room price does not cover extras you might expect to be included and those you might normally pay for are so eye-watering that we avoided them altogether.

For example, to use the gym – 30 euros, continental breakfast – 26 euros (eggs 6 euros extra), mini bar small Toblerone 7 euros, cup of tea in the bar 6 euros. And most preposterously (Scots may want to look away now) - 20 euros for a glass of Talisker 10 whisky.

Sometimes you come across a hotel where you suspect an accountant has been hard at work, cutting operating costs to a minimum and optimising pricing in all areas, sadly this was the case at the Loremar - the sign urging you to recycle your towels on the pretence of saving the environment tells you all you need to know about their cost philosophy.

Another symptom of ‘accountant hotels’ is that the staff are usually very young – and therefore cheap. And this was indeed the case at GHL, though we found them very friendly, courteous and efficient. Valet parking was quick and secure – a real bonus in traffic heavy SJdL.

We started our week at GHL feeling pretty disappointed and resentful of the pricing that forced us to eat practically everywhere apart from the hotel. There are lots of good restaurants in SJDL happily.

By the final day, we’d grown to like the place quite a bit. The position is excellent, the service & staff very good, the views spectacular and you can walk straight onto the beach. We also liked that the town is almost exclusively a French resort - not Sevenoaks on sea.

In fact if you want to stay in SJdL on the beach, in reasonable style, in a hotel, then GHL is probably the only place to go – but take your cape with you because they charge like a wounded bull.