The apartment was well fitted out with beautiful bathhrooms, dishwasher, fridge, airconditioning and coffee machine etc, but lacked the small but basic touches found even in less expensive accommodation we have rented throughout France over the years. There were no tablets for the dishwasher, no liquid washing up detergent (and only very used and unsanitary cleaning cloths in the kitchen), no handwash in the bathrooms, no salt/pepper etc. A couple of coffee pods would have been a welcome start to our week and the promised bottle of wine was not to be seen, let alone the selection which the folder told us would be in the fridge for our purchase if required. The television did not work at all until the manager, Walter, spent some 2 hours eventually locating three French stations, but no English channels at all, very disappointing when my husband speaks no French, and surprising given that the booking was made through an English company. The result was that we were unable to watch tv throughout our stay. Several basic items were also missing from the kitchen inventory, such as sharp knives, juicer and cheese grater, items which Walter lent us during our stay.
Whilst the apartment was comfortable and well located, we would not describe it as a luxury penthouse, given the basic omissions I have outlined, and which we were obliged to purchase for daily use. These, plus the lack of television have unfortunately coloured our experience at the property which could have been so different with some practical forethought and a small financial outlay on the owner's behalf to embellish his product.
