La Grange Aux Marmottes

My husband and I were seeking a Pyrenees stay with great access to hiking, picturesque views, and quality dining with a commitment to locally produced products. Without exception, La Granges aux Marmottes exceeded our high hopes! We wove our way up a steep narrow road with beautiful views, and ultimately saw the sign that led us to a cluster of buildings including a lovely chapel. The hamlet is an enclave of rich stone textures bathed in plants and flowers, storybook beauty. We were greeted by our warm and welcoming host, who very kindly offered us a larger room than booked based on our luggage. (We were traveling for weeks in three very different climates with gear for numerous sports and events). The room was perfection. The decor is charming, substantial, and perfectly suits the overall aesthetic. The modern bathroom had separate tub and shower. (The room we were initially shown was also very nice. As I understand it, rooms and public spaces have been remodeled as needed.) I hadn’t done my homewook enough to know that our host owns and operates the hotel. And that goes to the heart of La Granges. It is a labor of love for generations of this family and for a small staff that is an extension of family - talented and committed. The chef is outstanding. The restaurant is among the best we experienced in southern France and northern Spain, including San Sebastian. And Sylvain, our knowledgable server, wine mentor, and family storyteller was the perfect guide for appreciation of the region. He’s son of the owner by the way, which I didn't know until the night before we were leaving. There’s a small pool and hot tub with amazing views, and hiking trails at the edges of the property. Gavernie is just miles away, and Pic du Midi also in range.

Spectacular property with very nicely redone rooms. Plenty of space, and a big bathroom with large shower. Oddly, the heat in our room wasn't functional. I'm not sure if they had already turned it off for the summer or something, but it was certainly cold enough for heat when we were there. The restaurant is very good and I recommend booking the half board when reserving a room to get dinner & breakfast.

We stayed her two nights so that we could go to the Pic du Midi and the Cirque de Gavarnie and it was very well located. Sitting atop a hill in the valley and nestled inside a small village, it is a wonderful place to stay. Walking around the village in the mornings and evenings was wonderful. Rooms were very nice and comfortable, bathrooms clean. The breakfast was good and filling. Our host was very friendly and helpful and the room down below with the fireplace and all the chairs was a wonderful place to sit and relax after a long day hiking. We ate dinner here also as there really wasn't anything close by to go to. That was where the one problem was. The first night we sat down for dinner and were given a piece of paper with the menu on it and it was just an appetizer, main course, and dessert. Ok, we went with that and then other people started to come into the room and they were given full menus and ordered off of them items that we were never offered. When I asked our waitress why we couldn't order off the regular menu also, she told me that we weren't allowed to because we were staying at the hotel. Okay, so were all the other people in the restaurant. I talked to the owner the next morning about it and was told that certainly we could order off the main menu and she didn't understand why our waitress told us that we couldn't. The evening's meal was much better as there was a different waitress and she was very nice and accommodating to us. With the exception of that little issue, it was a wonderful stay and I highly recommend a stay here.