Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa

I wish I could give more stars to our stay but unfortunately I can’t. I will give my honest and detailed explanation below as to why I chose this rating. The property itself is beautiful, and the views are simply stunning. We stayed at Airelles Gordes beforehand and were already spoiled with exceptional scenery and hospitality, so we know what true luxury in Provence looks like. It started with the room. They kindly offered us an upgrade upon arrival, which we appreciated. However, we were placed between two rooms occupied by families with children. Given how poor the sound insulation is, the noise was impossible to ignore. They offered to move us to another room, which was considerate, but by then we had already unpacked and settled in. Since we were only staying for two nights, my fiancé was understandably not in the mood to repack everything again. I do need to say that the rooms are old, and not in a charming or historic way. There is an “old” that is beautifully maintained and full of character, and then there is an “old” that feels neglected and overdue for renovation. Unfortunately, this hotel falls into the second category. The biggest shock came when we entered the shower. It was covered in mold. Not only was it disgusting to see, but I am also allergic to mold, making it a genuine health concern. The hotel apologized and cleaned it after we reported it, but the real question is: how was a room in that condition presented to a guest in the first place? This should never happen at a hotel charging these rates. It immediately made us question the property’s maintenance and hygiene standards. The gym may have been recently renovated, but it feels like it was designed by someone who has never stepped foot in a gym. The heaviest dumbbells only go up to 10 kg, which is simply inadequate for many guests who regularly train. The pool area feels tired, overcrowded and far from the luxury experience the hotel advertises. They do not even provide complimentary water at the pool, which feels unnecessarily cheap considering the nightly rates. The service around the pool was slow, disorganized and lacked the attention to detail one would expect from a hotel of this caliber. Then there is breakfast. Honestly, it was one of the most disappointing luxury hotel breakfasts I have experienced. I ordered hard-boiled eggs both mornings and had to send them back twice before eventually giving up. They arrived cold, overcooked and with green yolks, clearly prepared long in advance rather than fresh. My fiancé’s French toast and scrambled eggs were equally disappointing. For a hotel in France, this was particularly surprising. The buffet raised even more concerns. Flies were freely landing on exposed meats and other items while guests served themselves. Only the fruit appeared to be protected. Watching insects sit on food in a luxury hotel breakfast room is simply unacceptable. Then there is the spa. To be honest, calling it a spa feels generous. Apart from a sauna and steam room, there is very little to justify the description. There is no spa pool and no meaningful wellness offering. The receptionist was cold and unwelcoming, and the furniture consisted largely of basic wicker outdoor furniture. There was absolutely no sense of luxury or relaxation. One thing we absolutely loved was dinner. The food was exceptional and without question the best meal we had during our trip to Provence. The culinary team deserves genuine praise. So why the one-star rating? Our final day completely ruined what little goodwill remained. We even spoke to several guests who return every year and spend months at the property, and they told us they were deeply disappointed this season and felt standards had deteriorated significantly. The day began with another disappointing breakfast. Later, lunch at the pool took more than an hour to arrive. To make matters worse, dishes we had enjoyed the previous day were completely different in quality. I ordered the baba ganoush both days. The first time it was excellent. The second time it was unrecognizable. The texture, flavor and overall execution were completely different, highlighting a level of inconsistency that should not exist in a hotel of this standing. The hotel kindly granted us a late checkout, which we appreciated. However, the checkout experience itself was extremely disappointing. When we provided constructive feedback regarding our stay, we felt dismissed rather than listened to. What upset us most was that staff appeared to laugh about the situation as we left. Whether intentional or not, it felt profoundly unprofessional and left us feeling humiliated when we had only been trying to provide honest and structured feedback. What disappointed us most was not the outdated facilities, the mold, the poor breakfast or the inconsistent service. It was the attitude when we raised these concerns. Luxury hospitality is not just about beautiful views and expensive room rates; it is about standards, attention to detail and making guests feel valued. Unfortunately, this property failed on all three. The hotel has an incredible location and tremendous potential, but beautiful views alone cannot compensate for poor maintenance, questionable hygiene standards, inconsistent service and a dismissive attitude toward guest feedback. Compared with places such as Airelles or the Palace hotels in Paris, this property is simply operating at a completely different level. Based on our experience, it does not deserve to be mentioned in the same category.

Our experience at the Chateau Saint-Martin was exceptional! The natural beauty and tranquility of this place are something to treasure! We relished the delectable food by Chef Romain Antoine and his expert culinary team. The luxurious spa treatments at the chateau are second to none. We were welcomed and cared for by Céline and Alex while we stayed at the Villa Ponant! We highly recommend escaping to this outstanding location for a memorable stay with your family!

We loved staying at Chateau Saint Martin. The staff was friendly and helpful. The view from our room and the restaurant was stunning, the beds were comfortable; and the spa was lovely

We visited the hotel to celebrate a birthday and were delighted with every aspect of our stay. From the moment we arrived at this beautiful property (in a tiny rental car) we were made to feel entirely special. Staff were welcoming, efficient and charming. We had been upgraded to a room with superb views over the hills. We enjoyed the beautiful pool area, the spa and enjoyed the chef’s tasting menu for dinner. The breakfast buffet was excellent. Staff were extremely obliging - helping us with walking routes and providing details and samples of the jam we had enjoyed at breakfast. We have stayed at many good hotels all over the world, but what impressed us particularly about Chateau Saint Martin was the service. We would 100% recommend the hotel to friends looking for an indulgent break in a beautiful setting. Thank you for a superb stay.

I Had An AMAZING Experience staying at the Chateau Saint-Martin & Spa...We Stayed in the Villa and Was So Happy with the Detail of Hospitality we Recieved...I Can Not Tell How Fabulous they Took Care Of Us with Caring and Attention to Making Us Feel Special and The Guidence in Helping Our Questions...From 1 to 5...I give them a FIVE...SUPERIOR MARK...Thank you to The Excellent Staff...Alex...Celine...Our Driver from Prestige Driver Guillaume Le Dal...I Can't Say Enough About the Staff and ESPECIALLY Celine and Alex...She Went over and About with Her Enthusiastic Attitude to Make this the BEST Trip We Ever Had...You Don't Find that At every 5 star Establishment...Again...I Felt Safe and Cared For...We Will be Back...We Loved France Because Of their Kindness Over and Above....Thank You For a Wonderful Experience...Mary L Kielty and Family