Escape to Paradise: Your Dream Hotel in Provence Awaits!
Escape to Paradise: A Provence Dream? (My Unvarnished Review - Plus, Should You Go?)
Okay, buckle up, because I'm back from my "dream" trip to Provence, specifically the "Escape to Paradise" hotel, and folks, the experience was… well, it was a lot. Let's dive in. I'm talking all the details, even the stuff they probably didn't want me to mention. (Spoiler alert: there was a minor incident involving a rogue croissant…)
(Brace yourselves, this might get long. And a little rant-y. You’ve been warned.)
First Impressions: Paradise Found? (Sort of…)
The website promised a fairytale. Mountains of lavender, sun-drenched terraces, and the gentle whisper of a Provençal breeze. And, to be fair, some of that was true. The exterior? Stunning. Think picture-perfect stone facade, overflowing flower boxes, the whole shebang. Parking was easy-peasy with the car park [free of charge] which was fantastic. But honestly, the driveway was a bit much. It felt like you needed a chauffeur; I almost crashed the rental trying to navigate!
Accessibility: A Mixed Bag
Let's be real: not everyone glides through life unhindered. Accessibility is huge, and I was specifically checking for this, as it's increasingly important to me. Facilities for disabled guests were listed, but I’d love to know exactly what that encompassed. The elevator was a lifesaver (especially after those croissants – more on that tragedy later). I’m not sure how well the pools or restaurants would be for someone with mobility issues. I didn't see any specific mentions of ramps or accessible rooms beyond the standard "facilities". So, a definite area for improvement, "Escape to Paradise"!
Cleanliness and Safety: Sanitized Within an Inch of its Life
Okay, good news: they seriously took hygiene seriously. This hotel practically glowed with cleanliness. Tons of hand sanitizer stations everywhere! Daily disinfection in common areas was a given, and I saw staff constantly cleaning. They used professional-grade sanitizing services. Plus, the fact that they had anti-viral cleaning products and sterilizing equipment put my germaphobe heart at ease. They even had rooms sanitized between stays and you could even opt-out if you didn't want it, which is thoughtful. They removed shared stationery, and staff trained in safety protocol. I mean, the whole shebang. They were also keen on the physical distancing of at least 1 meter, which definitely made me feel safer during the breakfast buffet. Safe dining setup? Check. Sanitized kitchen and tableware items? Double-check. They had individually-wrapped food options, which was handy (and I probably ate way too many croissants as a result). Hot water linen and laundry washing – fantastic! Felt safe.
The Rooms: My Little Provence Fortress (Mostly)
My room (a non-smoking one, thank goodness!) was… nice. Very, very beige. But hey, that's Provence, right? I had air conditioning, which was a lifesaver in the midday sun. The blackout curtains were a godsend for a good night's sleep (and napping off the copious amounts of wine consumed at dinner). I have to admit, I loved the slippers and bathrobes. Such a tiny detail, but they really did add to the feeling of relaxation. My room had air conditioning, air conditioning and bathroom phone which felt like something out of a James Bond movie. The free Wi-Fi (thankfully!) was strong, so I could upload all my travel photos (much to the chagrin of my Instagram followers, I'm sure). Plus, there was free bottled water. Honestly, this was a win. Additional toilet, alarm clock, bathrobes, bathtub, bed linens, carpeting, closet, coffee/tea maker, complimentary tea, desk, extra long bed, hair dryer, in-room safe box, interconnecting room(s) available, internet access – LAN, internet access – wireless, ironing facilities, laptop workspace, mini bar, mirror, non-smoking, on-demand movies, private bathroom, reading light, refrigerator, safety/security feature, satellite/cable channels, scale, seating area, separate shower/bathtub, shower, smoke detector, socket near the bed, sofa, soundproofing, telephone, toiletries, towels, umbrella, visual alarm, wake-up service, Wi-Fi [free] and window that opens. Not much more to say about the room itself.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The Croissant Incident…
Ah, the food. This is where things got… interesting.
Breakfast was included (hooray!) and served as a breakfast buffet. You could also opt for breakfast in room or breakfast takeaway service. They did have Asian breakfast and Western breakfast, which was surprisingly good. BUT… the croissants. Oh, the croissants. They looked divine. Flaky, buttery, the epitome of French pastry perfection. Or so I thought. I inhaled about four of them on the first morning. By the second day, my stomach was doing the cha-cha. Let’s just say I developed a very close relationship with the bathroom that afternoon. The takeaway? Pace yourself.
The Restaurants (A la carte in restaurant) were a bit hit and miss. The main restaurant offered International, Western cuisine, and Asian cuisine. They had vegetarian restaurant, and salad in restaurant, soup in restaurant, as well as the desserts in restaurant. The bar, which had a poolside bar, was well-stocked. I enjoyed a particularly lovely glass of local rosé at happy hour. I also enjoyed the bottle of water that came with my meal. However, sometimes service was slow… slower than a snail in molasses. The coffee/tea in restaurant was decent, but I expected amazing coffee in France, and that didn't always happen. The room service [24-hour] was fine (great for nursing a croissant-induced tummy ache), but again, not exactly memorable.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: Spa Day!
Okay, here’s where "Escape to Paradise" really delivered. The spa was fantastic! They had massage options, and I treated myself to a blissful treatment that melted away all my stresses. They had a pool with view (gorgeous!), a sauna, steamroom, spa/sauna, and good old swimming pool [outdoor]. And of course, a fitness center! I opted for a body scrub and a body wrap, and it was pure bliss.
Services and Conveniences: The Good, the Bad, and the Slightly Confusing
They offered a whole host of services. Air conditioning in public area, audio-visual equipment for special events, business facilities, cash withdrawal, concierge, contactless check-in/out, convenience store, currency exchange, daily housekeeping, doorman, dry cleaning, elevator, essential condiments, facilities for disabled guests, food delivery, gift/souvenir shop, indoor venue for special events, invoice provided, ironing service, laundry service, luggage storage, meeting/banquet facilities, meetings, meeting stationery, on-site event hosting, outdoor venue for special events, projector/LED display, safety deposit boxes, seminars, shrine, smoking area, terrace, Wi-Fi for special events, Xerox/fax in business center. The concierge was very helpful (especially when I needed to find a pharmacy after the croissant incident). The daily housekeeping was efficient, and I loved not having to make my bed every morning. The laundry service came in handy. They were also keen on the contactless check-in/out. The gift shop was a bit… touristy. But hey, I did buy a very cute lavender sachet.
For the Kids: Family-Friendly? (Maybe…)
They do have some kids facilities, and a babysitting service available. I can definitely see a family finding this hotel appealing. They had family/child friendly options, and were kid-friendly.
Getting Around: Easy Peasy (Mostly)
Airport transfer was available. Car park [free of charge] and car park [on-site] The taxi service was reliable, and there was bicycle parking.
Things I Didn’t Mention (Because They Weren't There, or They Were Just Weird)
- "Proposal spot": I'm assuming this is a cute add-on for romantics?
- "Room decorations": I'm not sure what this entailed and I don’t think I noticed anything special in my room.
- "Shrine": I did
Hotel Provence: My Love/Hate Letter to Draguignan (and its damn cobblestones)
Day 1: Arrival…and a Minor Panic Attack about French Bread
- 10:00 AM: Arrive at Nice Airport. Sun's blinding, already sweating despite the early hour. The baggage carousel is like watching a slow-motion parade of other people's lives. Finally, my sad, little suitcase emerges. Triumph! (Cue minor internal victory dance).
- 11:00 AM: Rent a car. "Compact" they said. "Charming for the narrow Provencal roads," they lied! It's a sardine can on wheels. Trying to remember all my high school French for the rental agent, end up accidentally complimenting her shoes (they were nice, though).
- 12:30 PM: The drive to Draguignan. Absolutely beautiful. The countryside is dripping in lavender fields, olive groves, and postcard-perfect villages. Except, you know, I'm driving. So it's mostly just me, white-knuckling the steering wheel, and muttering about roundabouts in increasingly panicked French.
- 2:00 PM: Arrive at Hotel Provence! Gorgeous facade, classic French charm. Check-in is smooth…until I try to understand the bellhop's rapid-fire French. End up nodding and smiling like an idiot while he explains the hotel's history. Pretty sure I’m now privy to the location of the building's secret wine cellar.
- 2:30 PM: Room unpacked. It's…compact. But charming! And the window overlooks a little cobbled street. Perfect! Until I remember those same cobblestones are probably going to be my nemesis for the next week.
- 3:00 PM: Reconnaissance mission! Wandering around the town. Okay, the cobblestones really are a nightmare in these boots. Found a boulangerie though. The smell… Oh. My. God. The baker – a portly man with flour dusting his eyebrows – looks like he could be the star of a movie. Buy (attempt to buy) a baguette. End up accidentally ordering three. Am I in heaven? Possibly. Am I going to eat all three? Absolutely. I can already smell the judgmental stares of the French ladies in the park.
- 4:00 PM: Disaster! I'm lost. Totally, hopelessly lost. Google Maps is useless. Ask a local woman for directions, she speaks at a speed that would make a rocket scientist dizzy. Manage to understand “left, right, then you see the church.” Feel triumphant, then quickly realize there are three churches.
- 6:00 PM: Found my way back to the hotel. Exhausted. Cobblestone-induced ankle pain is setting in. Order room service – a cheese plate and more baguette. No shame. (Actually, a little shame).
- 7:00 PM: Settle into the room, open the window, and watch the world go by. The sounds of laughter, the distant clinking of glasses, the smell of something delicious cooking… It's magical. And I have a lot of bread.
- 8:00 PM: The food is excellent. The wine, even better. Conclude, after half a glass, that I'm perfectly content with my life. A cockroach runs across the table. Okay, maybe not perfectly content. Scream.
Day 2: Markets, Museums, and a Near-Death Experience by Car-Horn
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast! The croissants are divine and the coffee is strong. I eat a croissant, then another, then feel the need to walk.
- 10:00 AM: Attempt to explore Draguignan’s charming market. The smells of ripe fruit, cheese, and flowers assault my senses. I'm in heaven. The sheer volume of things to buy… overwhelming! Buy a scarf I don't need.
- 11:00 AM: Visit the Musée de l'Artillerie. Okay, military history isn't usually my thing, but the sheer scale of the exhibits is impressive. I find myself strangely fascinated by the cannons. Is this what getting old feels like?
- 12:00 PM: Lunch! Found a little bistro. Order the plat du jour, a hearty stew. It's what I needed.
- 1:00 PM: Decide to go for a drive. Bad idea. Get stuck on a one-way street. Horns blare. The locals are not happy. I wave my hands in apology, probably looking like a complete dork. The French are even more impatient than usual!
- 2:00 PM: Arrive back at the hotel. Exhausted. The tiny car is parked at a crazy spot.
- 3:00 PM: Cobblestone trauma. Decide to embrace the chaos.
- 4:00 PM: Rest.
- 5:00 PM: Attempt to find the bakery again. This time, I succeed! Feeling pleased with myself. Buy a tiny cake shaped like a cloud. Stuffs myself with the cake and bread.
- 6:00 PM: Stare out the window and feel more peaceful.
- 8:00 PM: Dinner at the hotel restaurant. Order the duck confit, it's as good as they said it was. Ask for a second piece of duck, no shame.
Day 3: A Full Day of Wine Tasting (and Possibly Regret)
- 10:00 AM: Finally, a day trip! Head to a vineyard. The scenery is spectacular. Rolling hills, vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see.
- 11:00 AM: Wine tasting begins. The first few glasses are fine. The scenery is magnificent. The staff is extremely helpful.
- 12:00 PM: Second vineyard! Things are getting a little blurry. Start to believe I’m a wine connoisseur.
- 1:00 PM: Lunch at the vineyard. More wine. The sun is shining, the food is delicious. Realize I should have hired a driver.
- 2:00 PM: Third vineyard. The tour guide is now my best friend. Start telling everyone about my life, in increasingly bad French. Buy a case of wine I probably won't drink.
- 3:00 PM: Trying to drive back is an experience. Everything is a blur. Feel the urge to sleep, but fear that I’ll crash the car.
- 4:00 PM: Arrive back at the hotel, somehow. Crawl into bed.
- 5:00 PM: Wake up. Head throbbing. Regret everything.
- 6:00 PM: The only option is the bistro below. Eat something, then eat more and decide the previous day was great, maybe.
- 7:00 PM: Crash again.
- 8:00 PM: Order room service. Drink water.
Day 4: Exploring the surrounding countrysides and getting lost (again!)
- 9:00 AM: Waking up.
- 10:00 AM: Drive towards a waterfall. The roads are the perfect way to experience the beauty of the area.
- 11:00 AM: Arrive at the waterfall. It’s beautiful.
- 12:00 PM: Decide to drive somewhere else, end up lost.
- 2:00 PM: Back to the hotel.
- 3:00 PM: Stare at the map.
- 4:00 PM: Decided to take a nap. The cobblestones are terrible.
- 5:00 PM: Up.
- 6:00 PM: Go to the bistrot.
- 7:00 PM: Meet a local who speaks English. Talk a lot.
- 8:00 PM: Decide to stay here.
Day 5: The Day of Lavender (and More Cobblestone Encounters)
- 9:00 AM: Breakfast. The hotel’s trying too hard.
- 10:00 AM: The lavender fields.
- 11:00 AM: Spend way too much money on lavender scented candles and soaps.
- 12:00 PM: Lunch in a charming village with a lot of tourists.
- 1:00 PM: Head back to Draguignan.
- 2:00 PM: More walking, more cobblestones.
- 3:00 PM: The cafe at the hotel.
- 4:00 PM: Write postcards.
- 5:00 PM: Nap time.
- 6:00 PM: Order room service.
- 7:00 PM: Find a cafe.
- 8:00 PM: Finish the wine
**(Okay, honestly, the rest of the days probably involve more of the same. Cobblestones, bread, wine, feeling slightly lost and bewildered but also utterly charmed by this chaotic, beautiful corner of the world. I'
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Escape to Paradise: Your Dream Hotel in Provence Awaits! - FAQs (Because Let’s Face It, You Have Questions… and I Have Answers… maybe)
Okay, so is it *actually* Paradise? Like, am I going to find a hidden portal to Narnia in the rose bushes?
Look, I'm not guaranteeing any magical wardrobe situations. But, having been there… well, it comes pretty darn close. Think less Narnia, more… a sun-drenched dream you can actually wake up in. The scent of lavender alone nearly sent me into a blissful coma. Seriously, I spent the first afternoon just wandering around, giggling like an idiot, because everything was *SO* ridiculously perfect. The pool? Absolutely gorgeous. The staff? They actually remembered my coffee order. THAT'S a level of paradise I can get behind.
My one tiny gripe? I *did* manage to get a mosquito bite on my ankle the first night. So, pack repellent. Even the Gods have their flaws, I guess.
What's the food *really* like? I'm talking beyond the flowery descriptions on the website. Is it actually delicious, or is it that pretentious, tiny-portion French kind of deal?
Alright, let's get real. I'm a foodie. A *hungry* foodie. And the food... oh, the food. Forget the tiny portions! (Mostly.) It's *delicious* delicious. Everything, from the fresh-baked bread at breakfast (seriously, I'm still dreaming about that bread) to the perfectly prepared duck confit at dinner, was a work of art. They used local ingredients, which I *loved* because the flavor of the tomatoes and the fragrant herbs just explode in your mouth.
Okay, confession time: One night I accidentally ordered the "Chef's Surprise Tasting Menu" and nearly had to loosen my belt buckle! It was overwhelming in the best way possible. There was a cheese course I had to *force* myself to stop eating... and the sommelier? He knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. Totally worth it... and I'm not even a wine snob.
Is this place REALLY romantic? I'm hoping for a proposal, or at least, you know, a *connection* with my significant other, not just a stressed-out weekend.
Romantic? Honey, it practically oozes romance! The atmosphere is just… *sigh*… think candlelit dinners under the stars, strolling hand-in-hand through the vineyards, sharing that ridiculously decadent chocolate cake (which, by the way, you *must* order)… It just fosters that "in love" feeling.
I witnessed a proposal! Complete with a violinist and a diamond ring that nearly blinded me. (I may have teared up a little. Don't judge.) And honestly, even if you're not looking to get down on one knee, the atmosphere just lends itself to connecting. My own partner and I, after a long, rough year, were *actually* talking and holding hands without screaming. It was… a revelation. Just go, and see for yourself. It's magic, I tell you!
What's the vibe? Is it stuffy and pretentious, or can I actually relax and wear my ratty old t-shirt?
Okay, this is important. It's *not* stuffy. Thank goodness! It's chic, yes, but it's also supremely comfortable. You can definitely dress up if you want to, but they're not going to judge you if you rock up to breakfast in your pajamas, although, maybe not the *ratty* t-shirt. Let's aim for "stylish-relaxed" rather than "hobo-chic."
Seriously, the staff are super friendly and welcoming. I felt completely at ease, and I'm not someone who thrives in super-fancy environments. You'd be surprised how many people were rocking the "effortlessly chic" look, which, let's be honest, is what we *all* aspire to in our hearts.
My personal recommendation? Pack a light jacket. The evenings can get cool, especially after a day spent by the pool with your skin completely burnt.
Tell me about the spa! I need a good massage, stat.
Oh, the spa! Ugh, it was heavenly. I am not a huge spa person, mainly because I'm too cheap, but the massage was so good, I almost fell asleep! The therapists are skilled, and the atmosphere is all soothing music and aromatherapy. They use local essential oils and other products which smelled divine, and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend booking one, especially the "Lavender Dream Massage", it's divine.
Are there things to *do*, or am I just stuck lounging by the pool all day (which, let's be honest, sounds amazing)?
Okay, the pool is amazing. Like, *seriously* amazing. I could have stayed there all day, every day. But, if you're a bit of a fidgety human (like me), there are options.
* **Wine tasting!** Obvious, but necessary. The hotel can arrange tours of local vineyards, and the wine is, unsurprisingly, fantastic.
* **Explore the nearby villages.** Absolutely stunning! Rolling hills, old buildings with colorful shutters and quaint shops. It's like a movie set. I took a half-day trip to a lovely medieval village with my partner and got lost...it's a great way to feel the magic.
* **Cycling or Hiking.** If you're feeling energetic (I'm not always), there are trails nearby. I did a VERY short hike (okay, maybe a walk...) and found the air so wonderful.
* **Cooking Classes:** If you're a foodie, you could learn how to make the delicious food you've been eating and also show off for your family when you get back.
But Honestly? Sometimes, all you need is a good book and a lounge chair. Don't feel guilty about doing absolutely nothing!
Okay, the rooms… are they as luxurious as they look in the pictures? Because those pictures are *gorgeous*.
Alright, let's talk rooms. They *are* as gorgeous. In fact, they're even *better*. The photos don't quite capture the feeling of walking into a room that's a perfect blend of rustic charm and modern luxury. Think plush beds, beautiful linens, and bathrooms that are bigger than my entire first apartment.
My room had a balcony overlooking the countryside. The first night, I sat out there with a glass of wine, watching the sunset. I swear, I almost cried. ItLow Price Hotel Blog
