8/10 Good
Catherine S.
11 Aug, 2019
Liked: Cleanliness
Ideal for surfing beaches -'Location' is key
With 7 members of the party keen to surf every day, this was an ideal location - 10 mins drive from Gurp beach (with a small parade of cafes and restaurants just beyond the campsite). It was also within easy reach (20-30 mins)of the pretty seaside resort of Soulac , supermarkets, petrol stations, local vineyards (with walk-in free tastings) and open markets as well as the bigger surf resort of Hourtin plage (and lake). The beach chalet itself was well equipped (once the broken oven was replaced) with large fridge in kitchen (and second one in utility area for wine and beer!) jacuzzi, lovely warm pool and outdoor table tennis table. Weather in July was extremely hot so we ate all our meals on the large covered veranda and didn't use tv or table football. Bedrooms were minimally equipped with wardrobes only in 2 of them and we queued at times for the bathrooms/shower and one separate toilet. As a party of 11 adults our major caveat is that the 5th and 6th bedrooms are really only suitable for young families as they are upstairs in the sloping eaves of the gite with minimum head room - both had a double and single bed squeezed in them with only storage being a shelf unit and despite both having fans supplied were unbearably hot. Hence overall rating of 3/4 stars. The owner (who spoke limited english) was on site on our arrival with a long list of 'do's and don'ts' - mostly regarding disposal of rubbish/recycling which we were expected to do ourselves (driving around attempting to find local bins) and the daily cleaning and maintenance of the pool and jacuzzi, which again, we were expected to do ourselves (sponge wiping any grease off the edges !) (On our second week, we stayed at a lower priced restored chateau where a pool man was included in the price!) In addition, we also paid a tax of around 94 euros (not listed on the website - although another review mentions it), and agreed to pay an up front cleaning fee of 100 euros (or be expected to clean the entire property - and large outside terrace - before our 10am departure time). Additionally, we had to bring our own beach and bath towels and were expected to make our beds and then strip them before departure. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in Grayan (once we had managed to find the property as the address on the website is incorrect!) as the weather was amazing and chalet lifestyle ideal for our surfing needs, but feel that we were definitely paying over the odds for the Location!!!