Adieu Cocottes et cheminées...

[Loiseau]

Yes, folks; Logis hotels are undergoing a radical new presentation.

"100% de nos établissements ont été visités et reconsidérés avec leur propriétaire pour rendre mieux compte de leur particularité."

No longer will a simple casserole tell you if the food is worth eating: now the restaurants will be categorised as:

“...restaurants de Terroir, les restaurants Gourmands ou bien Savoureux, ainsi que les Tables Distinguées ou d’Exception.”

And gone is the familiar fireplace logo. From now on you will have to select a hotel among the descriptions: "Essentiel, Cosy, Elégance ou Exception."

[suein56]

Hopefully this will lead to improvements in many of their establishments .. as the cocotte did not always mean a decent meal and the cheminée didn't always mean a warm welcome.

I'm sure you will keep us informed as to progress Loiseau ?

[idun]

We avoided them, although sometimes that was not always possible...... ie the post about booking in advance, as when we just set off sometimes, choice would be limited.

We have had a few awful meals too, so a resto we avoided in general.

[mint]

But we have had wonderful experiences at Logis hotels!

A really lovely one in Bagnoles de l'Orne where the proprietor stayed up past midnight to make sure we were back safe and sound after an operetta that started only AFTER everyone had had dinner in the resto opposite.

And a truly memorable weekend at one just outside Mayenne.  A varied menu, melt-in-the-mouth pastries and a wine menu chock full of delicious Burgundy reds (when I used to love drinking).

The ones we stayed at in Brittany were, on the whole, more modest affairs and a so-so one with a manager rather than a proprietor on site.

We did always feel we had good value for money so I hope the new, fancy classification does not put prices out of reach.

 

[Loiseau]

Yes, I must say I have stayed in a few pretty run down ones when I was researching my Northern France guide a decade or so ago.

I think the Logis grouping came into being after WW2, to encourage tourism. But many owners have aged (haven't we all?!) and done no further refurbishment, so often the hotels are in a bit of a 50s' time warp - decor and food-wise.

That said, one or two have obviously changed hands, and spruced up a lot.

Do them all good to have a shake-up, I reckon.

[suein56]

Loiseau wrote : Do them all good to have a shake-up, I reckon.

To be honest I can only agree .. but, you are right, after disappointing stays in some more northern examples - which really did seem to date from the 50s .. we mostly gave them a wide berth unless absolutely necessary.

So mint might have a point about other establishments elsewhere being much more satisfactory ..

[BritinBretagne]

The only one I’ve stayed in recently was excellent.

[Judith-aka-Judith]

Yes, haven't stayed in one recently, but they have been overtaken by events in hotellerie which they have not followed.  Certainly many were out of date, not the best beds and bedding, food was usually the better offering of the two, welcome variable, and opening hours (to receive you) limited.  Of course there would always be some bright sparky examples around but they were few and far between.  I suspect they will need a little more than rebranding to make it work, new owners, new thought processes ...but you can find them in useful smaller places where other chains do not go.  So let's hope for the best.

[Gardengirl]

There are Logis hotels we’ve stayed at and eaten at for many years, which had and still have a high standard of accommodation and delicious meals. There are others we found more recently which we revisit.

I’ll miss the old system, much simpler to check at a glance than trying to think through what level of food and accommodation as mentioned. Now, do I fancy essential, cosy etc - and what that means to one doesn’t necessarily mean to others. The current ‘shorthand’ symbols are a good method.

Of course, I check on the internet, read reviews, as I would for anywhere we’re staying or eating, unless it’s somewhere local, which I’ll usually already know what’s going on.

[woolybanana]

Well, it had to change as so many hotels were being forced out of business by Airbnb and by motor homes.

About time too in my view.

[Gardengirl]

Wooly, I appreciate that many businesses are closing because of competition from such as airb&b, but wasn’t aware of more motorhomes on the roads than in the past.

Obviously, some of you are aware of very poorly-run Logis hotels, indeed we came across some in the past, but there are obviously also excellent ones that I have mentioned, as has mint. No doubt they would be excellent and successful whatever the Logis structure.

[idun]

I was not well pleased when my husband went away and used airbnb. He hadn't booked it, the team he was with had, but it did not stop me being very unhappy about it, as I am  anti airbnb and uber.

I will not use either.

[Kong]

We've been running B and B for many years and were surprised by a guest who said he had never stayed in a B and B in decades of business travel. He had no idea how much more pleasant it was than inexpensive hotels. That's why Logis et al need to wise up and replace their fifties wallpaper!

[mint]

[quote user="idun"]!

I was not well pleased when my husband went away and used airbnb. He hadn't booked it, the team he was with had, but it did not stop me being very unhappy about it, as I am  anti airbnb and uber.

I will not use either.

[/quote]

Same here, id, I won't use either either![:D]

Kong, I don't mind dated decor, brings back memories of happy earlier self! I do like good food and good service, so as long as those are in place, I am happy.  Oh, and the place has to be spotlessly clean......unlike my own place, of course[:P]

It was a huge surprise to me, when we visited B n Bs and were often shown our rooms first to see if we liked them.  No obligation to take them.  I have turned down rooms but, being British and congenitally apologetic, I'd say sorry and say something lame like the room is not big enough or I don't like the windows facing that way.

Then, after many years, I got bolder and I'd ASK to see the room before committing.  I never came across a proprietor refusing.  Nowadays, of course, you'd look at their site, all the photos, read about them before booking.  I must say doing it the old way had that frisson of excitement and uncertainty that you don't get these days because everything has to be "as it says on the tin"!

[idun]

I have never stayed in a B&B in France. We stay have stayed in chain hotels, little hotels, and auberge, but never a B&B.

We have rented Gites though always french owned as it happens.

A few years ago, an irish friend who lives in France had booked a B&B in eastern France, and when they saw us, his french girl friend said that it was dirty, AND run by les anglais.

That was their experience, and these days, I daresay that would be clearly flagged up on one of the web sites.

We have rarely used B&B's in England either. And these days I rather think that Four in a Bed has put me off. Only the odd one that I have thought, maybe IF I was in that area, I would stay there. And Glamping, well, looks like a right expensive do about nothing to me. I'd rather stick to my quality Cabanon french tent if I was camping.

[NickP]

In the early days of French holidays, we often used Logis or Auberges, sad to say they haven't kept up with the times, so now for us are out of the question. We've used Air B&B in America and England, experiences in both countries have been excellent. Never used it in France as there are so many good quality chain hotels now. As for Uber, we used them extensively in America, very good and efficient. The last time we arrived at Heathrow I asked a Black Cab driver the price to get to Shepperton a distance of around 10 miles, he said a minimum of £70, so I declined, phoned Uber, the guy arrived quickly in a good quality car and took us home for £28, no brainer, good service good price, only downside was that we had to carry our bags a bit further to the pick up point. Times are changing and people now want value for money, modern clean rooms with good facilities. I don't think that eating in the accomodation is that popular now as in the past, and that was what the logis and auberges used to be about. Now there are so many restaurants with good menu's, habits have changed.

[idun]

Airbnb's perhaps have their place in rural areas. In cities they do not.

I keep thinking that all those that keep life going, ie nurses, bus drivers, refuge collectors etc etc etc, an endless list of people that make our lives comfortable, on low wages should simply flee the cities and let the 'rich' get on with it.