La Duchesse de Bourbon

😊: Well equipped, light and airy. Central location. Clean. Sweet treats we a nice surprise. Appreciated even more when our late arrival meant most restaurants were closed.. 😢: Nothing.

😊: The room was spacious & included a kitchen, it included everything you could wish for. The gated off street parking was particularly appreciated as was the restaurant practically next door.. 😢: Nothing.

😊: The flat was well laid out, comfortable and gave easy access to Chatellerault City Centre. However our stay was badly marred by 2.5 hours trying to sort out access and arrangements - and in the first 1.5 hours wondering whether we would need to find an alternative.. 😢: Our stay was badly spoilt by sitting around in the street outside the flat from 16.00 to 17.30 until we managed to get in. The indication on the booking receiot that normal reception time was 18.00-21.00, followed up only days before arrival by an email asking to confim exact arrival time - which "had to be confirmed OK by the host" seemed to imply that someone would need to let us in. Completely the opposite! An email sent by the owner Alexandre on the day if our arrival at 09.30 gave all the access and flat ooerations instructions. BUT: I did not receive this email until 18.30 due to poor mobile data network coverage in the region and in the city all day. On arrival at 16.10 my wife called Alexandre and understood we needed to wait 30 minutes. By 17.30 no-ine had arrived ir called us back. My wife called again, and thankfully Virginue talked my wife through the codes and keys for access. We were in, but then we realised we weren't sure we had all the infirmatiin for getting back in if we went out, and found no written guidelines on WiFi access, building access, equipment ooeration and similar. A further call from my wife confirmed where to find the WiFi code (unusual in itself because it had spaces in it). But Alexandre told her the Internet was anyway broken and being fixed. So I had to walk through the streets to try to get a mobile data connection sufficient to deliver the information email sent at 09.30. I received this at 18.30 - together with another email confirming WiFi was offline. Literally: 2.5 hours of our time wasted, sitting about and worrying. Why could the access instructions not have been sent weeks ago, following full payment and booking confirmation? If desired, with the simple instruction to call on arrival for the keybox code? Why the email exchange to discuss and agree exact arrival time, when the guest has to let himself in anyway? Easier: "let yourself in anytime from 15.00". Why no written guudebook?.

😊: Clear check in instructions . The apartment iscosy, clean, bottled water available. Central yet quiet location ..

😊: Location. Well decorated apartment. Good facilities. Quirky.. 😢: The bed against the wall and on pallets. Difficult to get in and out of in the night. Also needs a bigger duvet..