My partner was supposed to be going for a round of golf but he had damaged his shoulder and couldn't and I was going to go into the spa for some pamper time then for the next 3 days we were going to explore the beautiful countryside. You can't check-in until 3.00pm and when we arrived at 3.30pm we were told our room was not ready because the previous guests had checked out after 12.00 noon and the cleaners hadn't finished. We were not offered a complimentary refreshment in the cafe or bar clubhouse, which would have been acceptable after our long journey from the UK, but were told to go to the spa for relaxation and they would telephone to let us know the room was ready. For one, you couldn't take your mobile in there because of the moisture problem and the only refreshment they offer is a hot herbal liquid that tastes of Rosemary and an acquired taste for sure. We had to unpack our swimwear from our suitcases in the boot of the hire car, spend what we thought time for the cleaners to finish with the room, get dressed in the same clothing we had travelled in (didn't want to take the whole suitcase into the spa for a change of clothes) and then drive the car to the accommodation car park and try to enter our room. After finding the room, the entry card didn't work. Thinking I had been using the card wrong, my partner tried the card in the door but then had to take the card back to reception to get it re-registered to the room. Not a good start. The room was comfortable, nice comfortable bed, small kitchenette area (alcove between the bedroom and bathroom) with small sink, 2 ring electric hob, kettle, microwave, fridge; bathroom, separate wc and TV with 29 French or German programmes with perhaps 1 English speaking programme dubbed over in French depending on the time of day. Our room was on the ground floor, overlooking a northerly aspect, bit of waste ground really, few trees small balcony with table and 2 chairs with no direct sunshine.
On our last night we were going to the restaurant on the roundabout but we were too early as it didn’t open until 7.30 so we decided to go to the restaurant in the golf clubhouse. They don't open until 7.30 so we had a drink in the bar. After we were seated we were not offered any drinks while reading the menu and seemed to be being ignored by the waiting staff as French speaking people were coming in after us and getting served drinks while they were looking at their menu’s. After about 15-20 minutes we talked about going back to the restaurant on the roundabout then eventually a waiter came over to take our order. We choose our food and drinks and what turned out to be a large bottle of water at £5 which between 2 people was so large we couldn't finish and left it on the table. We did not know it at the time but we could have got a jug of tap water for free. The whole meal for 2, starter and main meal each, bottle of local wine and water cost about £90. Nothing special for what we were charged and very poor service.
We did get to visit the spa area every day but didn't always get a lounger to relax on as towels’ had been draped on them but nobody was actually using them the whole time we had been in the spa area.
The cleaners were very good, friendly and efficient. We were relaxed after the end of our stay and would definitely return to this region of France again but not back to Saint Endreol. There was no atmosphere as you would expect from a hotel/spa complex. The accommodation block is a short walk away from the reception and spa area and you would get wet going between the two if it was raining.
This type of accommodation is not what we usually book and was expecting something special. We have been in various standards of hotel, B&B’s, self-catering in the UK and abroad and once at Butlins in Bognor Regis. We didn’t think worth the money for the accommodation, quality of service or facilities available. Apparently my partner who has a 5 handicap and very keen golfer usually playing 5/6+ times per week back in the UK, walked around some of the course and didn’t rate the golf course highly at all. He said the green staff at his golf club in Hertfordshire, would swish the dew from the greens for the golfers 1st thing in the morning. At Saint Endreol he only saw the green staff clearing leaves from a pathway and not attempting to make the playing surface on the green more enjoyable to play on.
