Family-friendly Hotels in Saint-Germain-en-Laye

Celebrating a big birthday for my wife I paid to stay in a suite in this hotel having done research our expectations were high. Position of hotel is good along with views if you are lucky to get a room with one. However all goodwill was lost when arriving for pre dinner drinks at the bar on a Saturday night there was nobody around. Twice I had to go in search of staff just to serve us a drink. Others guests experienced the same, not what we expected. Our food was very mediocre, expensive and accompanied by a very expensive bottle of wine there being no other choice. On both days at breakfast we had to ask for more pastries in the self help area and the rest of the breakfast offerings were very basic. We left a notice on our door handle for the room to be serviced but nothing had been done on our return nor any note left explaining why. For us the worst experience was a constant smell of cigarettes coming into our room at all hours of the day and night. This is supposed to be a no smoking hotel. At checkout I was charged for breakfast which we had prepaid but the receptionist argued with me saying “ that everybody pays for breakfast “. She eventually went to the office behind to return saying yes it had been prepaid but no apology offered for her attitude towards me. This hotel plays on its position with views over the Seine valley and its link to a royal birth. In fact this is the only original part of the building - a small damp dark room and if that is what you want then stay. However the aloofness and arrogance of most of the staff makes this venue an expensive mistake for many to stay there. Getting a reply from the hotel manager M.Mornas after a six day wait he made apologies but offered no reason for the above basic problems. My suggestion of a discount on what we had paid went without any further reply reinforcing my view of the arrogance of the hotel staff. Coming from a background in the travel industry where I have stayed continuously in hotels worldwide for over forty years I feel I am very qualified to make comment. There are many other hotels at a lower cost with much better service to choose from, I suggest you steer clear of this hotel and stay elsewhere.