Le Manoir de La Poterie & Spa

Perfect location for access to the wonders of the Normandy beaches. Boutique like family spa hotel, very good food and great service, lovely calming gardens. We spent a wonderful week walking the beaches of Normandy / the hotel is superbly located for 90 mins (good pace) or 2,5 hour barefooted amble along the deep beaches to either of historic Honflurs or fashionable beautiful Deauville. I arrived out of shape / office stiff, and left ‘fixed’.

This building, rooms, grounds and location of this hotel justify its 4* status but that is where the 4* status also stops. Whilst the staff are generally friendly, helpful and polite they are subject, like the guests, to a rigid management regime that is a long way from customer focused and is totally centred on the business targets of the hotel. The regime under which the hotel is run meant that we, as guests, did not feel fully welcome or free to do as we please. For instance, we were not told we had to book for dinner, and still do not know if this was the case but when we tried to enter the dining room at 19.30 on the evening of our granddaughter's 21st birthday, the reason for our being there, we were not allowed in but were TOLD to return to the bar for an aperitif. We did not want an aperitif but meekly obliged. Why were we given no option? We expected to be called to the dining room shortly after but, having waited nearly one and a half hours in the bar without any further contact from any member of the staff, I spoke to the gentleman in charge. When I complained that we had been waiting for this unacceptable length of time, he replied that he was waiting for us to finish our drinks!! Even if this were true, why would we have to finish our drinks and why should it take us an hour and a half? With regard to the food, I have to say, that the buffet breakfast, was distinctly overpriced at €25. Even in good hotels and B&B accommodation in England, a freshly cooked breakfast is considerably cheaper and much more tasteful than the pre-cooked variety. A buffet breakfast sitting in warming pans for some time is not freshly cooked. This was not of 4* quality, as exactly the same breakfast is available at 2* and 3* hotels in France The much-vaunted Spa was very disappointing. The water in the swimming pool was discoloured and the sides and floor of the pool had patently not been cleaned for some time. For public facilities and the health of guests, this should be a daily requirement. I feel particularly upset for our daughter-in-law and granddaughter rather than my wife and I. They had invested so much time, effort, and hope, in addition to the cost into this adventure which fell considerably short of their expectations for what was supposed to be a truly wonderful occasion. Ce bâtiment, les chambres, le terrain et l'emplacement de cet hôtel justifient son statut 4* mais c'est là que s'arrête également le statut 4*. Si le personnel est généralement sympathique, serviable et poli, il est soumis, comme les clients, à un régime de gestion rigide, loin d'être axé sur le client et totalement centré sur les objectifs commerciaux de l'hôtel. Le régime sous lequel l'hôtel est géré signifiait que nous, en tant qu'invités, ne nous sentions pas pleinement les bienvenus ni libres de faire ce que nous voulions. Par exemple, on ne nous a pas dit que nous devions réserver pour le dîner et nous ne savons toujours pas si c'était le cas, mais lorsque nous avons ess

Globalement nous sommes plutôt satisfaits de notre séjour : la chambre était spacieuse, joliment décorée et la literie de bonne qualité. Le petit-déjeuner était excellent, bien qu'un peu cher. Le dîner au restaurant était délicieux. Néanmoins trois bémols : - Notre massage en duo a été annulé le vendredi soir pour la samedi après-midi alors que nous avions réservé 3 semaines en avance. Finalement on nous propose dimanche matin pour nous rappeler à peine 1h après et nous annuler à nouveau le massage. Nous étions venu dans cet hôtel exprès pour les cabines de soins. - Toujours concernant le spa : le jacuzzi est bien trop froid - ce qui ne permet pas d'en profiter pleinement. - Le soir avant notre dîner, nous voulions prendre un verre dans les grands fauteuils près de la cheminée. Le serveur nous indique qu'il n'y a pas de place pour le moment alors nous nous installons au comptoir du bar. Un couple arrive à peine 2min après nous et est installé directement dans des grands fauteuils. Nous n'avons pas du tout apprécié ce geste irrespectueux de la part du serveur. Est-ce parce que nous sommes un jeu couple? ou bien parce que nous restions qu'une nuit? Toujours étant que ce n'est pas du tout des bonnes manières, surtout en vue du standing de votre hôtel.