La Bonne Etape

Difficult to find by GPS, but then we were greeted by staff to help with bags. Room was nice, private, clean. We have stayed at a few of the Relais chains, some in US, and really never meet our expectations, especially given their prices. I am going to avoid Relais hotels in the future.

My husband and I can’t say enough wonderful things about La Bonne Etape. It is a truly special and magnificent place! Our trip got off to a rocky start when we encountered bad thunderstorms on our drive to the town. As a result, we were going to arrive very late at night and were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to check in. We were also hungry (!) and so messaged the hotel and asked if they could leave a little snack in the room for us. And to our pleasant surprise, not only did a lovely staff member named Lucille come out to greet our car when we arrived very late, but the chef had made some incredible sandwiches for both my husband and I! It was such a nice touch and so appreciated after such a long drive. As for the hotel itself- what can we say? Simply perfection. Stunning rooms with beautiful views. Perfect location to explore the surrounding towns. A convenient car park located directly across the street from the hotel. The pool is clean and gorgeous. A staff member walks around and asks you if you want any drinks. They are so accommodating and try to give you whatever you need. I also highly recommend taking a walk thru the magnificent gardens of the hotel which is right near the pool. They are simply beautiful. And the restaurants - wow!!!! My husband and I eat at Michelin restaurants all the time and Chef Jany Gleize and his daughter, Jane, and staff are masters at what they do. They have definitely earned their Michelin star but we think they deserve another! Their attention to detail is incredible and their creativity is something to see. My husband and I ate at the Michelin restaurant on 2 different nights because we loved it so much. We must have mentioned that it was our wedding anniversary, because the restaurant surprised us with a special cake for dessert. What a treat! Thank you to all of the staff of that amazing restaurant for everything they did to make our visit special. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the hotel has a more casual dining option with its other restaurant, Bistro Gaby. We ate here one night as well and were equally impressed with the service and delicious options. I could go on and on. My husband and I just love this Relais & Chateaux property. It’s a very special place and the staff is so kind that they make you feel like you’re staying with family. We can’t wait to return with our daughter next summer. Thanks for the memories La Bonne Etape! Love, Allison and Steven Meier

We decided upon this hotel being both a member of the Relais Chateaux group and having a starred restaurant. We were not disappointed! We travel with our cocker spaniel and the hotel made special arrangements to find us a room on the ground floor for easy access with him. (We subsequently changed as the room had too easy access for him but this was done without any problems). We had a fantastic meal in the main restaurant and the staff remembered it was our 40th wedding anniversary and made us a special pudding - thank you once again. We would thoroughly recommend staying at this hotel!

We dined at T he Bistrot restaurant Gaby.. Avoid! We booked for two nights and have cancelled our second booking.. we ordered the salad nicoise which was very good as a starter but unfortunately the beef main was a very cheap cut and not braised long enough, as a result was chewy and tough.. the waiter offered a replacement which I accepted , however the stuffed tomato and courgette ( mince and rice) proved exceptionally bland and tasteless.. such a shame.. I cook much better and don’t expect sloppy seconds when I am paying reasonable prices . The chef needs the pull his finger out and step up to the plate.. very poor offerings..

Two reviews. Preface, my husband and i have been traveling France for 3 weeks, this is not our first time to the country, we come regularly and only stay at Relais & Chateau properties and dine in Michelin establishments. My husband left early and my 2 university aged children joined me for the latter part of the trip, starting at Le Bonne Etap. Hotel Of the 5 R &C properties we stayed in this was the biggest disappointment. Yes the rooms were equipped with everything you expect from an R&C property but the service was spotty. First day reception was warm, second day very cold and was very hard to find any staff around the property. Housekeeping clean but not detail oriented, one night we had treats on the bed, the next we did not. No fresh water bottles in the room. No service at the bar or at the pool. Restaurant. This was the biggest disappointment. We only booked to stay at this property for the restaurant and it was a sad experience. I am not one to think people judge you by appearances but in this case I would have to say so. I was with 2 university aged children and the only non western table in the room. We were not given much attention. I suspect, and this is conjecture, if my white husband was with us it would have been different. We are Canadian and seriously very easy going but even this was too much. I had to ask for the sommelier to come to the table. We had two courses (amuse bouche) before the wine arrived- after asking for the sommelier to come to the table. I actually ordered a glass o wine in the interim while waiting. No one came to refill our wine or water through the meal unless asked. I may be feeling touchy but the sommelier offered us the cheapest bottle of wine on the menu... and no other options. We were the first to arrive at the restaurant and the last to leave because our service was so slow. Dessert came and the staff never asked if we wanted coffee/tea or even petit fours. A very very disappointing and disheartening experience. The restaurant offered to comp our wine but at this point the evening was ruined and unfortunately a credit on the bill does not make up for the poor experience. For the last three weeks we had dined solely on Michelin restaurants from gourmand to 3 stars and I have to say, from my humble experience, this was not worthy of the designation. I would not return. Speaking for the food, it was good but not excellent, If you are a regular Michelin diner this would not leave an impression.