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Most of this is just practical , much of it is self-evident but it is intended to reinforce the information you have and is in keeping with our straightforward approach to selling holidays .
Hotels
We know from feedback we receive from our clients that we tend to be conservative when describing or singing the praises of our hotels . However , we still think it ’ s worth pointing out a few basic facts :
OUR BROCHURE DESCRIPTIONS The details provided in this brochure are to our knowledge correct at the time of going to press and information about local events , local sports facilities etc is usually based on information supplied by the hotel . Changes can take place in the course of the year , bearing in mind that the brochure can be written up to a year before you go on holiday . It is our intention to provide you with the most comprehensive information possible and as and when we are advised of changes we do our best to advise you in turn . Michelin stars have been based on information available to us at the time of going to press and may change .
HOTEL OPENING AND CLOSING DATES These are correct at the time of going to press . However , hotels do change their opening and closing dates as well as the closing day of their restaurant at short notice . They are meant to advise us if any detail in our brochure changes in the course of the season . Most of the time they do provide us with the information as soon as possible . Obviously if we know of a change at any point we will do our best to advise you .
CATEGORIES OF HOTELS Hotels in France are classified and given their ‘ star rating ’ by the government . They have to conform to the standards required by their particular class of hotel and the hotels are checked regularly by the local inspectors . Even so , you may find that the electric fittings , plumbing , bath and shower units and door locks etc are unfamiliar . Staircases too can be steep , particularly in old buildings . Family rooms sometimes consist of a room with a mezzanine level for the children reached by a staircase , which can be steep and unprotected .
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HOTEL FACILITIES All are correct at the time of going to press . Seasonal closing times can change and certain facilities are subject to mechanical problems or changes in the weather . Again , if we are notified in advance , we will pass this information on to you . If sports facilities are mentioned as being ‘ nearby ’, this usually means , in the case of tennis courts or cycle hire , in the nearest village or town and with golf , riding and water sports usually within driving distance . Hotels ’ own swimming pools and tennis courts can vary in size and quality .
BREAKFAST IN FRANCE Breakfast is usually continental , consisting ( at the discretion of the hotel ) of bread , croissants and / or brioche , jam , butter , coffee or tea . Orange juice is being provided free of charge more and more in France , as are little extras such as cake and fruit . However , you should not expect to have orange juice included and if you request extras such as cheese or ham you should expect to have to pay for these items . If we state that a buffet breakfast is included , this will mean the usual items of continental breakfast plus additional items you help yourself to , such as cereals , yoghurt , fruit , cheese and cold meats . However , these are only suggestions and the actual ingredients may change from day to day and are at the discretion of the hotel . Buffets in France do not usually offer eggs .
DINNER Where we include dinner in the price of the holiday , this can be a choice of different courses , either 3 , 4 or 5 courses , a choice from the A la Carte menu or a fixed menu of the day . We try to give a description of the dinner in the hotel description and in the price leaflet . If no details are provided , you should assume that the dinner is a fixed menu of the day .
DRINKS AT HOTELS The only drinks included are tea or coffee with breakfast . Coffee , aperitifs , wines and other drinks with meals are extra and must be paid direct to the hotel , unless we say that certain drinks are included at a particular hotel . Wine in France with meals can be surprisingly expensive . We should have details on file of the cost of a bottle of house wine at our hotels , if you particularly want to know in advance . Prices of drinks at hotels are regulated by the government and reflect the category of the hotel . So , usually , the higher the category the hotel is , the more expensive the drinks . It ’ s not unusual for a glass of champagne to cost about Euros 15-20 .
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VEGETARIAN MEALS If you are a vegetarian , you should let us know at the time of booking . We will advise the hotels accordingly from the point of making your reservation . Vegetarian meals in France are not always particularly imaginative .
EXTRAS You must pay direct to the hotel before departure for any items of personal expenditure including parking , drinks , telephone , meals etc , other than the items that are included in your holiday .
CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT Rooms will not usually be ready for you until after 3pm and most hotels require you to leave your room before 11am . We advise that you should aim to arrive at the hotel no later than 6pm to allow time to settle in before dinner . If you are going to be late unexpectedly , you should phone the hotel direct en route to advise them . If you do not check-out in time , hotels may charge you for an extra day .
BUILDING WORK If building work is to take place at the hotel during your stay , we do ask the hotels to advise us in advance so that we can warn you . Obviously , things do go wrong with buildings in the course of the year and emergency repairs sometimes have to be done without notice . This sort of work is of course unavoidable and would probably cause more inconvenience if not dealt with . If building work is taking place nearby but not actually on the hotel ’ s own property , it is beyond their and our control .
ROOMS We give you a choice of rooms at many of our hotels , reflecting differences in size usually . The actual size of a standard type A room varies from hotel to hotel , often reflecting the star rating of the hotel , but even within four-star hotels you can find a wide discrepancy in the size of the smallest and largest rooms in the hotel . Some of the standard category rooms are quite small . French hotels do not offer tea or coffee making facilities in the rooms .
BED TYPES Most French hotels have rooms with double beds . Twin beds ( two single ) are also available but are less common . We will do our best to request the type of bed you want but cannot always guarantee it . If you do not specify twin at the time of booking , a double will be booked for you automatically . If , once we have confirmed your booking , you want us to change the room type or beds booked , an amendment fee will be levied as in our booking conditions , and it will be subject to availability of the room types you want .
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SUITES OR JUNIOR SUITES When we refer to a suite or junior suite in this brochure , it is usually the exact way the hotel describes the room . In France , a suite is not usually a suite of rooms separated by doors but is more often a large bedroom with a sitting area , sometimes through an alcove but not always . A junior suite is usually a large bedroom with a sitting area .
EXTRA BEDS An extra bed in France can be a proper single bed that is a permanent fixture in a double or twin room , or it can be a folding bed that is placed in your room for the duration of your stay . They can vary in comfort and are most suitable for small children rather than adults .
VIEWS When a client requests a ‘ view ’ at a particular hotel , this can lead to difficulties if we request it . Unless a ‘ view ’ obviously means sea view , garden view , courtyard view etc , a ‘ view ’ as in pretty view is subjective and therefore we cannot request this .
AIR CONDITIONING If we state that an hotel has air conditioning , this can be a fully integrated unit or sometimes just a portable unit placed in your room . Air conditioning is sometimes only in use from June to September , at the discretion of the hotel .
LOCAL EVENTS , WEDDINGS AND BANQUETS Local events such as processions , fairs and festivals take place throughout France in towns and villages . Such events are integral to local life and do provide local colour . Weddings and banquets can be held at our hotels , especially as so many are held in such high esteem by the hotels . It is possible that you can be staying at an hotel when they ’ re hosting such a party . Some hotels do advise us at the time of booking if they know at that point what ’ s been planned . Others don ’ t necessarily advise us .
PARKING Most of our hotels have a car park of their own . Most do not charge for use of an open-air car park , but if they have a garage or a secure car park they will probably charge for it . Charges can vary from about Euros 20 to Euros 40 per day . Charges for parking are not included in the price of your holiday .
CREDIT CARDS Credit cards are widely accepted in France , from hotels to petrol stations , motorway tolls and supermarkets . Mastercard and Visa are accepted almost without exception , with American Express and Diners less readily accepted .
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