Cote de Beaute, France hotel rooms at the Independent

"The hotel is in a fantastic location and the lady who welcomed us was warm and friendly – though she was the only staff member on duty, somehow juggling reception, front of house and the bar during one of the busiest weeks in August. Our room was small, with a very tight fit getting into the shower, but it was clean and had the bonus of air conditioning. The biggest disappointment was the swimming pool. On a sunny summer day, I was told there were no towels available to use it – surely a basic expectation for a hotel with a pool. Who brings their own towels to use a hotel pool? Strangely, I saw some guests with pool towels, but not enough to go around, which is poor. When I mentioned this politely the next morning to a different receptionist, I got nothing more than a shrug and no genuine apology. On checkout, no one asked whether my stay had been good or not, which says a lot about the level of service. For €200 a night, I expected better. Unfortunately, the lack of attention to guest experience overshadowed the positives."

"We had an exceptional 2 night stay in this hotel. Our room overlooked the sea which had coloured light in the evening. The view was just stunning. The hotel was clean and the added bonus was very friendly helpful staff."