Castelbrac Hôtel & Spa

“Amazing Views Across the Harbour”

We spent one night at Castelbrac with Mr and Mrs Smith. We stayed in room 14 which is a Superior Room with sea views. The hotel is in a stunning location, perched on the rocks overlooking the harbour. There is parking on site for a fee (€30 per day) however we got lucky and managed to park on the … lisää

We spent one night at Castelbrac with Mr and Mrs Smith. We stayed in room 14 which is a Superior Room with sea views. The hotel is in a stunning location, perched on the rocks overlooking the harbour. There is parking on site for a fee (€30 per day) however we got lucky and managed to park on the road out front for free. The room had amazing views over the harbour and St Malo in the distance. The king size bed was extremely comfortable. En suite with large walk in shower. TV, bluetooth speakers, hair dryer, safe, kettle, tea/coffee facilities, fridge and air con. Wifi was good throughout the hotel. Due to the location the exterior areas are quite limited. There are only 4 loungers near the pool but they do have great views. The pool is also carved into the rock face and again has amazing views. It is quite small but warm. We did not have dinner at the hotel but we had a drink from the bar on the terrace which was very nice and breakfast the next day was excellent. Lots of choice at the buffet and plenty of hot options too. Staff were great and very helpful. Dinard is in walking distance to the hotel. Excellent hotel overall and would definitely return.

vähemmän

“Seaside Serenity with Quiet Elegance”

Castelbrac is one of those rare seaside hotels where time seems to slow down the moment you arrive. Perched along the coast in Dinard, the location is simply stunning — we found ourselves pausing constantly to admire both the sunrise and sunset over the water. Each offered its own kind of magic. O… lisää

Castelbrac is one of those rare seaside hotels where time seems to slow down the moment you arrive. Perched along the coast in Dinard, the location is simply stunning — we found ourselves pausing constantly to admire both the sunrise and sunset over the water. Each offered its own kind of magic. Our corner view suite was spacious and beautifully laid out. The generous living room easily accommodated a long sofa, along with a proper desk and ample closet space — thoughtful touches that made our stay especially comfortable. The bedroom felt intimate yet refined, and the attached bath, complete with view windows, added a lovely sense of light and connection to the sea. The overall atmosphere of the hotel is one of quiet elegance. Nothing feels overstated — just tasteful, refined, and peaceful. The staff were exceptionally well-mannered and attentive, delivering warm, polished service throughout our stay. Breakfast was another highlight. We especially appreciated the team’s kindness in arranging an early breakfast for us on the day of our departure — a small gesture that spoke volumes about their hospitality. Castelbrac offers refined seaside charm with impeccable service. A truly memorable stay in Dinard.

vähemmän

“Very enjoyable, very professional, very French.”

It seems unkind not to give this an exceptional score as it is a very good hotel but there are some elements (trivial you may think) that make this so. It is a very agreeable building and its conversion to a hotel has been done with imagination, flair, style, care and thoughtfulness. You have, as… lisää

It seems unkind not to give this an exceptional score as it is a very good hotel but there are some elements (trivial you may think) that make this so. It is a very agreeable building and its conversion to a hotel has been done with imagination, flair, style, care and thoughtfulness. You have, as a result, an elegant hotel with charm and character. All the rooms have a view over the bay and because of the building's age ours was quiet and restful. It was a decent size for an entry-level room and was decently equipped. Enough storage space for a reasonable stay, 'fridge with water replenished daily or as needed, a safe, radio/alarm and a TV. The bed was comfortable and pillows (which we usually find not to our liking in Continental hotels) actually very good. The décor, in keeping with the rest of the hotel, was stylish and elegant. The bathroom (separate WC) also had a sea view as well as an excellent shower. The usual fripperies were provided together with robe and slippers. There is a car park on site for about 15 cars and parking is done for you. You need to look for the entrance but once you know it's there all is fine. There are multiple EV charging points and although the hotel charges your car it won't charge the owner for the privilege, but there is a charge of 30 Euros a night for use of the car park. There are few public rooms, the consequence of the hotel's geography I think. A nice restaurant which serves as a breakfast room, a bar and a salon. There's also outdoor seating on a terrace. A wellness/beauty suite exists which we didn't try. A pool with loungers on two levels completes the hotel; there are no gardens but there is a small pool. Breakfast was fine but a little eclectic with a distinct read-across from the restaurant. All the usual suspects present but if you're not on a B&B basis (we were) you should expect to pay either 30 or 40 Euros for breakfast with the more expensive option getting you eggs and fish and meats/cheese The staff were uniformally first-class: helpful, warm, friendly, courteous, professional and exceptionally well-mannered. Oh that more hotels didn't have the same. We used the restaurant once and this is subject of a separate review. Suffice to say it was all you would expect from a Michelin-status establishment. So far so good so why the 'very good'? Well if you can't park in the hotel street parking is almost impossible. When walking about we found some but it was a fair distance away so you are pretty much compelled to use the hotel's car park unless you want to traipse through Dinard's (very pleasant) streets. It seems somewhat miserly to charge what they do for breakfast as although it is indeed good we've had just as good elsewhere and more cheaply. It seems, also, mean-spirited to levy another 10 Euros for the full Continental but I suspect that those guests not travelling on a B&B basis (our was with Brittany Ferries – excellent value for money) won't really notice the cost, or indeed care overly. The pool, which is sized for a single swimmer or a small family, is good but the steps leading to it need some attention and the associated shower/WC is cramped as they store parasols and seat cushions there too. Whilst the pool is fine the infrastructure around it is not in keeping with the rest of the hotel. Finally the public rooms are stylish yet cramped, a result of the hotel's footprint. There's nowhere to go and sit and quietly read if the weather turns as the salon's chairs are elegant but not made for relaxing in. It serves as an adjunct to the bar and restaurant so can get busy. You're left with retiring to your room if you do want to read which is perhaps not ideal. Overall then a very good hotel but not quite exceptional. The owners have done a superb job in the conversion but have been constrained by the physical geography of the site. All credit to them for achieving what they have. Is it worth staying at? Well it's as far removed from a corporate Hilton or Hyatt as you can get so you get the individuality that comes with being small. Equally Dinard is a very pleasant resort and all the plus points mentioned above make the hotel a nicely comfortable base for exploring huge swathes of Brittany. Recommended, but with reservations.

vähemmän

“Disappointing”

While this hotel is extremely well located it is not a true five star experience. Reasons: inadequate service at breakfast. Three days: gluten free bread day 1 inedible, day 2 -- tried harder and passable, day 3-- good.... and not enough. Served to everyone without any notation so when I asked… lisää

While this hotel is extremely well located it is not a true five star experience. Reasons: inadequate service at breakfast. Three days: gluten free bread day 1 inedible, day 2 -- tried harder and passable, day 3-- good.... and not enough. Served to everyone without any notation so when I asked for a second slice of toast I was told there isn't anymore! Unheard of! Breakfast was so poor that we canceled our reservation at the Michelin starred restaurant for dinner! Coffee orders: macchiato.... took 3X to get it right 2 out of 3 days Gluten free bread-- disastrous Omelette orders mixed up! Room-- great view-- but-- bugs.......no a/c in bathroom or WC! Check in, the person who assisted us knew very little (even about opening the bathroom shades! Concierges in the evening were lovely. Overall, management is lacking. We complained, yet there was not even a follow up from owners a week later!

vähemmän