Biarritz Ocean - Biarritz, France     

The biggest question in my mind is how does this claim to be 4 Star accommodation, while at first glance there was a fresh coat of white paint making the apartment appear clean. After a couple of minutes in our apartment the following problems were obvious: no light in the windowless toilet, the curtain was falling off the bedroom window, the breakfast bar type thing was balanced on a thin upright (attached with sealant for sinks & baths) and see-sawed when touched, the remote control for the T.V. fell apart when it was picked up, soft furnishings were grubby, the kitchen had no kettle, toaster, or microwave (not designed for convenience) and the balcony is on a busy side-street and facing in a direction that never gets the sun. When we expressed concerns we were told in excellent English, what did we expect booking cheap on the internet! We have stayed in both hotel and self-catering accommodation in many other places and this wouldn’t even be up to 2 Star standard. The description also refers to restaurant facilities that were not on site and the patio is an area beside reception with a few of the cheapest white plastic tables & chairs. Having re-read other reviews I am left wondering were these people in the same place.

We stayed at the Biarritz Ocean from 16 to 23 June, as we wanted a lodging with cooking facilities. The property disposes of roomy apartments ( ours was about 50 sq. meters, with balcony facing the garden ) and is very conveniently located. There' s a nice bakery 1 minute from the hotel, the supermarket at Galleries Lafayette 200 meters away, and you can walk 5 minutes to the Grande Plage beach. The staff at reception desk is helpful and courteous. The are some drawbacks, though: the annoying cleanness warning signs - for example, you have to "defrost and clean the fridge before leaving" and check-out is at 10 am ( you must call someone at the reception before leaving for a final inspection ); there' s neither AC nor ceiling fans in the apartments ( at the reception they told me " it's seldom hot in Biarritz " ); internet access is restricted to a WiFi area in the lobby, so you must bring your notebook down just to check the mail. On the whole, unless you are struck by a heat wave, the balance is positive, the Ocean Residence is a quiet and friendly lodge in Biarritz.