French Hotels & Restaurants: The Rough Guide(Le Guide Du Routard):English Edition 2001 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) - Softcover

Gloaguen, Philippe; Rough Guides

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1858286891 ISBN 13: 9781858286891

Publisher: Rough Guides, 2001

Synopsis

The Rough Guide to French Hotels and Restaurants is translated from the Guide de Routard = a perennial bestseller in France, acclaimed by critics and readers alike. Characterful accommodation listings throughout France, from village inns to city-centre hotels, researched annually by Routard's team of inspectors. Extensive restaurant selections, emphasizing both quality and value for money, with tips on local specialities.

About this title

Synopsis

This Rough Guide to French hotels and restaurants is translated from the Guide de Routard. It lists accommodation throughout France from village inns to city-centre hotels, researched annually by Routard inspectors. Quality, value for money and local specialities are detailed for restaurants.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

THE FRENCH WAY It pays to know what’s what in French hotels and restaurants and your basic rights as a consumer. When you’re reserving a room, by phone or in writing, it’s not unusual for the hotel to ask for a deposit by way of guarantee. There’s no law to say how much this deposit should be, but don’t pay any more than around 25–30% of the total. The French have two words for deposit – arrhes and acompte. The first is refundable, the second is not. So in the event of cancellation your arrhes can be returned in full if you give the hotel reasonable notice. If it’s the hotel that cancels the booking, then under Article 1590 of the Civil Code (which dates back to 1804) you’re entitled to double the amount of the arrhes you paid. So if you do make a deposit, be very specific in your letter as to whether it’s arrhes or acompte. Hotels and restaurants are required by law to display their prices. You won’t get anywhere arguing about extortionate prices if they’re clearly marked on a price list. The cheapest set meals are often served at lunchtimes or weekdays only. This should be clearly marked on the board outside.

Hotels are not permitted to try to sell you something you haven’t requested; for example they can’t force you to book for several nights if you only want to stay for one. Similarly, they can’t insist you have breakfast or any other meal at the hotel unless it’s clearly stated that half-board or full board is compulsory. Make sure you find this out before you book into a hotel with a restaurant, and bear in mind that half-board prices often apply to a minimum stay of three nights. This is permitted by law. In restaurants the cheapest set meals are often served at lunchtimes or weekdays only. This should be clearly marked on the board outside. Wine lists aren’t always very clear so be sure that you know precisely what you order. For example, you may order a bottle of Burgundy at 50F and be charged 100F; when you check the list again, you find (maybe in small print) that the price was for a half bottle. A bottle of wine must be opened in front of the customer – otherwise you’ve no way of knowing that you’re getting what you ordered. A jug of tap water is free as long as you’re ordering a meal. Occasionally restaurants refuse to serve customers if they feel they haven’t ordered enough. No-one can force you into ordering something you don’t want and refusing to serve you is technically against the law.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rough Guides
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1858286891
• ISBN 13: 9781858286891
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 848