Monday, February 18, 2013

What is a Chambre d'hôtes.....

Chambre d'hôtes are becoming more and more popular in France and are developing quickly. In St Remy you will find many of those "new style hotels" which could be refered as "Bed & Breakfast".

The differences between a Chambre d'hôtes and a hôtel can sometimes prove difficult to tell. However there are rules.
We are in France aren't we.....

A Chambre d'hôtes 
- must have less than 5 rooms
- have breakfast included in the rate
- do not need to apply for a classification (no national classification as for the time being)
- do not offer the same service as a hotel
- do not need to comply with the security and safety regulation hotels need to apply

The Chambre d'hôtes will provide you with a true experience where you might feel like staying with friends. Most of the owners do this in order to meet and exchange their love of the village they are in.

Some Chambre d'hôtes will sound basic, some other will give you the feeling of being in a Boutique Hotel and provide the same services. Indeed if less than 6 rooms, those properties cannot apply to the hotel classification....

However, beware that
- There are no staff on duty all day long so you may need to tell at what time you are expecting to check in. And some owner will be pissed off if you do get lost or take time while visiting and are late for check in...
- Some of the Chambre d'hôte will prove difficult to find as tucked away and not clearly sign posted
- English might not be spoken

On my side I believe that 90% of guests are happy with this experience and strongly recommend the places they went to.

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