We have just experienced a hotel from hell, which does not merit even a single star (much less the three it now has plus rave reviews in most guide books). La Maison Blanche is decrepit, with chipped and pealing paint, worn out carpets that are filthy in spots, and battered furniture. Dirt is everywhere, with stacked up tables and broken chairs on the verandah that have not been moved for months. Plastic wood is everywhere, frequently battered and scratched. Our supposed deluxe room (206) reeked of mildew with ineffective air conditioning that switched off at 4.15 every morning. Everything is done to avoid expense – small sachets of shampoo, minute and cheap pieces of soap, no cable television (simply a few local stations including a [---]channel), light bulbs of the lowest wattage, making it impossible to read day or night. Typical of this penny pinching is the breakfast – no hot milk for the coffee, small and nasty croissants, and no choice of juices. The management simply does not care. A year ago, the local health authority condemned the swimming pool, a notice at the entry states, as substandard and advised what needed to be remedied. Nothing has apparently been done. The management is lazy and incompetent. All complaints are treated with disdain. NEVER STAY AT THIS HOTEL.

Hotel was Ok but begrudged paying extra for a balcony when it appeared that all rooms had a balcony. Staff friendly enough although the bar was understaffed and rooms were good but really only ideal for drivers as public transport was poor and taxis got expensive - the area around the hotel is tired and would have preferred to be wihtin a 20 min walk of the centre. No lifts.

La Maison Blance belongs more in New Orleans than France. Unlike the other hotels we stayed in, this one was outside of the center of town and had some nice, lush grounds. Lot's of trees, big cages with tropical birds like parrots. A medium sized swimming pool. The place has balconies on 3 sides. It is made of wood. The rooms are nice, but not luxurious. The restaurant there is outside on the patio and the meat is cooked on a BBQ pit at one end of the patio. The food was good, after all this is France. It was a pleasant surprise because we came from Marseille on a train and missed our connection to Barcelona. We would return to Montpellier.