MAISON de Vacances Entière à 10 mn de La Rochelle

😊: Unfortunately, this review has to focus primarily on our experience with the host, which was very poor. Had this issue not occurred, I would have rated the property itself 9/10. The house is comfortable, modern, well-equipped, and accurately described in the listing. It is located in a small village approximately 20 minutes by car from La Rochelle and is a great option if you have a car, or are happy to commute by bicycle.. 😢: We stayed for one night during the off-season. After booking, we received a message informing us that there were additional charges for bed linen and towels. While we understand that some properties in France offer these as optional extras, our concern was that these costs were not clearly disclosed during the booking process nor presented as selectable options when making the reservation. Hidden charges are never a pleasant surprise. However, this was only part of the reason for our low rating. The main issue was our interaction with the host. After paying the additional fee for bed linen, we were greeted with what felt like immediate suspicion. Despite having booked and paid for the entire property, the host initially insisted that we could not use the whole house, and we had to explain that our reservation was for exclusive use of the property. Throughout our stay, we felt a persistent sense of distrust. We found ourselves reassuring the host that we were responsible guests who would treat the property respectfully and leave it in good condition. In reality, we only intended to use the bedrooms and bathroom and would have had minimal impact on the rest of the house. This feeling continued until our departure. On the way to the airport, we were asked to wait while the host inspected the property before informing us that everything was satisfactory and then we were literally told that we were "released to leave". While hosts are entitled to protect their property, the manner in which this was handled made us feel more like potential problems than welcomed guests. For a stay costing over €200 per night during the off-season, we found this experience unacceptable. It is particularly disappointing because the property itself is genuinely good. Unfortunately, the lack of transparency regarding additional charges and the atmosphere of mistrust created by the host overshadowed what could otherwise have been an excellent stay..

😊: It was lovely to have the house located in walking distance to a supermarket, bakery and butcher, and a short drive to La Rochelle.. 😢: The drains were a bit smelly in the mornings, but a few flushes and a bit of water down the shower soon sorted that out..

😊: It was spotlessly clean and very comfortable.. 😢: Nothing..