Thursday, June 28, 2012

Excusez-Moi

I interrupt this irregular blogging to bring you an important news update. I have found, and am staying in, the most quaint hotel possible. It absolutely oozes European charm and class.

Let me give you an idea of what I'm talking about.



It's something out of a Jane Austen novel. Simply remarkable. Let me quote the book that is in each room describing the hotel, "surrounded by the quiet beauty of our 5-acre park, the hotel offers our guests the comfort of personalized rooms, 24 in all...leisure facilities include bicycles and canoe-kayaks for rent as well as fishing equipment. Spa services including massage, special treatments, and fitness are available for health of body and mind..."According to my sister, it sounds much better in French. Though, most things sound prettier in French, it's the vowel sounds. 
The park and gardens surrounding the hotel do live up to the hype. Well, the "quiet beauty" part of it. Not including the guy with the chainsaw, cutting apart logs that had fallen in the river, while in a canoe.  That's some mighty talent if you ask me. My mother, sister, and I took a leisurely stroll around the surrounding gardens, trying to pretend we fit in with the French natives. We are, unfortunately, complete failures at such an act, by oohing and ahh-ing at every flower, tree, and bend in the river and managing to take at least a hundred photos between us.



Granted, a large portion of those pictures were trying to get my mom to use the "continuous" function on my dad's fancy Nikon to take a jumping picture of me and my sister. Most of those pictures are of the upper region of my chest, which I will not share for the public to view. We were, however, successful after a while, but this photo is probably my favorite, our landing poses. Two new dance moves anyone?

Too add to the serene quality of the hotel, there is a fountain just outside our window that mixes with the sound of the small river to create an entirely naturalistic sound of continuous flowing water. Oh, and as if it couldn't get any more charming, there are doves cooing and birds twittering all around. (This, I find much more annoying and potentially terrifying than peaceful. My family disagrees.) 




The room itself is wonderful. I have taken several pictures to showcase its glory and to make you jealous. There is a small nook off to the side, a beautiful view out a large window, and bathrobes and slippers were provided. The tub, I would like to point out, is probably one of the most excellent pieces of the room.

We drove to town for dinner, ate at a small restaurant, and returned to find our covers turned down, the shades pulled close, a small lamp lit (nice mood lighting, actually) and chocolates for us to taste. My things I had left on the floor and to the side of the room were picked up and neatly arranged on top of my bag or on the small chest. A little awkward, but a kind gesture nonetheless.





Oh, our bathroom also includes a bidet. I was generally unaware of these until I noticed them around Europe. If you do not know what they are or how they are used, this Wiki article details the process quite clearly. How to use a Bidet

Anyway, I do quite enjoy this hotel. My mother said it was a little much for her, but I find the care and general quality to be rather refreshing and appreciated. Apparently, I am a four-star kind of hotel goer. 


In final notes, during the many attempts at a jumping picture, this gem showed up. I think it shows the quintessential summer, don't you? 


Sorry about picture formatting, I still don't quite get it. 













1 comment:

  1. I think I need some picture formatting lessons from you! I don't know how to put them next to each other to take up less space! And, hey, I did love the hotel! Didn't I get weepy at breakfast, just enamored by the whole thing???
    PS ~ I think you did a great job of catching the gorgeousness of this place!

    ReplyDelete