We (couple mid 30s) stayed at the hotel for 4 nights (mid August)and we really had a great time. The reception staff and staff at the beach were very friendly and helpful and their English language skills were surprisingly good.

The room, seaview 3rd floor, was spacious and very clean. The view was incredible. Very spacious bathroom.

The beach was well maintained with plenty of lounge chairs. The pool was wind protected by a wall of glass and had shower facilities and lounge chairs. The lounge chairs a free and the ones at the beach need to be booked at the beach restaurant. On our first day we booked our chairs for the entire stay and had no problems. The sand is fine, water is clean and the swimming area of the bay is huge. Although there were loads of children there were mostly adults on the lounge chairs reading so it was very peaceful.

The only thing we thought was that the room service breakfast option could perhaps be changed. In order to get a coffee and a croissant it seemed you had to order the full breakfast - 20 Euros a head - which we did and which was, though too much, very good.

It is true the decor of the hotel is traditional and perhaps outdated a little. I guess it is just very French. Overall the property is well maintained and clean but the balconies could do with a lick of paint.

As we had family in the area we did not eat in the hotel so we cannot comment on the restaurant.

As a family of 4 we stayed for 5 nights at the Ile Rousse from 13 to 17 July 2006 which followed a 7 night stay at a hotel near Les Baux in rural Provence. The previous hotel was classified 3 star and provided a highly quality of service, accommodation and wonderful evening meals - true French cuisine!!

On arrival at the Ile Rousse we were greeted at reception in very clear English and a porter took our car & parked it in the secure hotel car park.

Our, air conditioned room which was on the fifth (top) floor was of a good standard and had a balcony overlooking the hotel swimming pool, outdoor restaurant, the beach which was contained in a semi circular bay and the Med beyond.

The salt water swimming pool was uncovered and seemed to be particularly saline, and unpleasant to us and for what swimming we did we chose to swim in the sea.

The continental breakfast at the hotel offered a good range of food choices.

When making our hotel reservation over the internet, we requested prices for accommodation on both B+B and half board basis, however we were only offered half board.

On our first evening we had a meal at the hotel of which in our opinion was of an extremely poor standard (particularly as the hotel has been classified as 4 star) and was a great disappointment following the excellent meals we enjoyed at our previous 3 star hotel. The following morning, after discussion, the hotel manager offered to change our reservation to a B & B basis and thereafter we ate out at other establishments in Bandol......................... we noted that many of the other hotel guests appear to be doing the same thing!!!

Bandol was quite a lively riviera town with locals and tourists milling through traders and artists stall which stretched along the edge of the marina and also along the main street retail outlets and restaurants.

Bandol is perhaps not the most upmarket of coastal town but it provided a good base to explore other coastal towns as well as some very nice villages in the nearby hills and mountains.

In summary we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday however we have mixed views on the Ile Rousse which include the hotel being somewhat pretentious and not delivering on a standard of quality across the board.

We stayed in the Hotel Ile Rousse in Bandol for one night in July 2006. The first thing worth mentioning is that Bandol as a French Mediterranean seaside resort lacks the charm of its smaller neighbor Cassis but is practical, with its proximity to the A50 motorway and is centrally located for exploring the surrounding coast and especially the countryside with its vineyards and inland medieval towns. This streatch of coast in general is a mixed-bag with the large industrial port of Marseille at one end and the military port of Toulon at the other. In between, there are Cassis and the Calanques which are worth visiting, La Ciotat, which is essentially a smaller industrial port not worth visiting, and more practical resort towns such as St Cyr sur Mer and Bandol. The Hotel Ile Rousse is advertised as 4 star, but it is a dated facility Even with an up to date refurbishment, some might question the 4-star designation. Rooms are clean and well-renovated, and are of typical size for better French hotels. The hotel itself is unfortunately truly crammed between other hotels on a small bay. Its salt-water pool is large enough and well maintained and is two levels above the beach. The beach is not private but hotel guests can reserve chairs in a special area for hotel guests only (reserve this before or on arrival as they fill up during busy times). The beachfront restaurant has a regionally focused menu with reasonable prices but we were not able to get a reservation for lunch (it was Bastille Day). For dinner the night before, we ate in the lobby restaurant which is more ambitous and expensive but represented good value. We did not have any time to book any treatments in the spa facility, but we made a quick visit and found the staff polite and professional.

As it was Bastille Day weekend, most of the guests were French families with children. Given the hotel's large-enough pool and a low-surf Mediterranean beach, this is not surprising. The hotel even has a children's club which we did not send our children to, so we cannot comment on it.

As we are French-speaking, we cannot comment on thet staff's ability to communicate in other languages. The staff were polite and solicitous but there were some gaps in service which also lead us to question the 4 star label. When we arrived, we were not advised to book lunch reservations or beach chairs, even though reservations were necessary for both. Additionally, when we were told that late check-out was not possible, they did let us know that we couuld use the showers and the changing facilities in the spa. However, they neglected to tell us that the spa is closed from 12:00 to 14:00.

In general, we recommend the hotel for families with children looking to spend some time on this stretch of coast or for anyone looking to get the feel of Bandol as a typical mid-level French resort town who is not looking to be pampered in their hotel. There are some alternatives in the region that are not significantly more expensive, but for as little as 100 euros per night more, can represent a substantial improvement in quality and provide a lot more charm. These include the Hotel le Castelet, past of the Leading Small Hotels of the World, which is about 25 kms inland and uphill from Bandol near the Circuit Paul Ricard, or the Hotel Roches Blanches in Cassis.

My husband and I (early 30's) stayed here for a long weekend break in mid October 2005. The hotel is well situated in Bandol, right on the sea front and right next to all the shops and restaurants. The hotel reception is fairly bland and given its 4/5 status could be brightened up a little, however this cosmetic fault did not continue into the bedroom which was really clean, spacious and decorated with a provencal theme.
We had a balcony with sea view which really made the room and its worth to request one even if you do have to pay a supplement. I sat out late at night listening to the waves and enjoying the last of the temperate climate in mid Oct.
We stayed for a Thalasso weekend and can highly recommend this to any others considering it. The treatments are all superb, as are the staff. The Thalasso centre walks right out to the private beach where loungers are provided, I can imagine it being really busy in the height of summer. It is mainly a French speaking hotel, but they do speak some English. The food in the hotel restaurant is also superb, we enjoyed all meals, but felt the wine was overpriced, but in the south of France right on the sea front I wouldn't have expected anything else. There are some nice local restaurants right within walking distance with seafood specialities. There are lots of nice villages surrounding Bandol to visit as well, especially Cassis which is picture postcard perfect. Great hotel, great location, I will be back.