Hostellerie Les Gorges De Pennafort

We visited le restaurant Les Gorges du Pennafort at the end of July with my parents-in-law and were very disappointed by the level of service, particularly considering that the bill for four people came to €660. My father-in-law uses a wheelchair, so when we booked, we were told to call five minutes before arriving so that the gate could be opened. When we called, the receptionist initially said there was no reservation under our name and made little effort to investigate further. I had to repeat the family name several times before she finally found the booking. When we arrived, the gate was already open, so we parked in the disabled space and helped my father-in-law out of the car and into his wheelchair. At the entrance, the receptionist told us, without a smile or apology, that we had used the wrong entrance and would need to return to the car and drive around. We had not been told that there were two entrances. Getting someone with limited mobility back into the car is not a simple matter, yet she was not proactive in suggesting an alternative. I eventually proposed going around via the road on foot, which she accepted, but this option should have been offered to us immediately. Once inside, the food and menu were good, but the welcome and overall level of attention fell far below what we expected from a restaurant in this price range. My parents-in-law speak English, yet no English menu was offered. I later saw a photograph posted with another Google review showing that an English-language menu was available, which made this omission even more disappointing. There were also several inappropriate attempts at humour. When my father-in-law asked for a business card, the waiter told him that he should first decide whether he liked the restaurant before being given one. He had to ask again at the end of the meal. At another point, the waiter said that he was now “scared” of my father-in-law because he had received a mean look from him. This was not appreciated as a joke and felt particularly out of place in a restaurant of this standard. Sometimes it is better simply to respond politely and professionally to a guest rather than trying to joke at their expense. At the end of the evening, my parents-in-law were tired and wanted to leave, but we had to ask for the bill three times and then wait around 30 minutes before we could finally pay. The food was good, but the service lacked warmth, empathy, professionalism and attention, especially toward a guest with limited mobility. For a €660 dinner for four, we expected a considerably higher standard of care. We received a far warmer and more attentive welcome at a simple lakeside restaurant nearby.

Oh dear. Maybe it was because it's the end of the summer, but our return to Hostellerie des Gorges de Pennafort after many years was such a disappointment. We booked a table for a Sunday lunch in September to celebrate an important wedding anniversary. The hotel grounds & view are lovely, but the receptionist on the ground floor greeting us lacked any smile or warmth, just a perfunctuary "Bonjour". First impressions were not great. We picked the cheapest set menu "Au bord de L'Endre" for €95pp. The first 3 courses were excellent, the stand-out dish being ravioli with foie gras & olive oil. However it was the main courses that were a disaster: my wife had roasted monkfish which was very overcooked, hard & rubbery, with a sauce so strong that it drowned any taste of the fish. She left half of it uneaten. I had a tiny portion of veal which was correctly cooked, but incredibly tough - a real effort was needed to cut or chew it. Next was a goat's cheese dish in the style of a crème brûlée; that was simply inedible - a terrible mélange of tastes so bad that after one spoonful, both of us left the rest. The final dish, a raspberry dessert, was good. Apart from the main courses being bad, the other thing that we noticed was, just like the receptionist, our waiter was charmless, uncaring & robotic. The dishes came & were cleared too quickly - remember this was a Sunday lunch when no one is in a hurry - we felt rushed. But for us the biggest issue was that no member of staff cared that my wife had left half her monkfish uneaten & both of us had left our cheese course almost untouched. Any restaurant of this quality & price ought to have asked, firstly, what the issue is and secondly, how the chef might make amends. So it was the poor attitude to us as guests, together with poor food, that will be our lasting memory of what we had hoped would be a celebratory lunch.

Fantastic staff. Extremely courteous and helpful. Michelin star restaurant to cater to all your needs. Pool and wellness centre straight out of a painting. Extremely calm and surrounded by nature. An outdoor seating area both in front and back of the suite. Great breakfast. Just maybe the room quality can be a bit better. But overall outstanding stay in the lap of nature.

We have visited many fine restaurants throughout Europe and North America over the years. Apart from "Daniel" in NY, this was probably our second favorite dining experience. The dishes were absolutely incredible. We were with a group, some of whom were hesitant to try the tasting menu as they had allergies which were ignored in other supposed "fine" restaurants. Although those persons opted for a la carte, the chef insisted that they have the full gastronomic experience and customized tasting dishes that fit their needs. The wine choices were rare and exciting. The staff were knowledgeable, accommodating, friendly and classy without being snooty. I would recommend this establishment to even the most discerning of patrons.