I was excited about visiting dolphin gites after reading other reviews, but unfortunately our experience did not match those of others. The gite itself was basic but clean and fairly comfortable (apart from the beds / bedding). It was well equipped. The garden is lovely, as is the pool area. The surrounding area is pleasant with lots to do. There is a useful folder in the gite with suggestions for restaurants and days out. On arrival, we were met by cathy. I expected a warm welcome, having read other reviews, but this was not the case. We arrived in pouring rain and my three boys were warned by her not to take dirty footprints into the gite. She then made some comment about the fact we had three boys, and asked if they were well behaved. I wondered if she was joking, but given later events, she clearly was not. She gave us an extended list of rules, including some I found strange such as no bare feet on the lawn, no water guns / large inflatables /food/drink/ umbrellas by the pool. During the week, she barely spoke to us and her husband did not speak to us until checkout. The Tuesday evening drinks reception did not happen but we were not told it would not be going ahead. Cathy had asked me on check in to use her supermarket clubcard and the points gathered would go towards the drink soirée, but that was the last I heard of it. Anyway, we enjoyed our week and arranged to pay fifty euros on departure for final cleaning. It is a very small gite, only one bedroom and an open plan living/dining/bedroom so this would seem ample to cover cleaning. However, on checkout, cathy became very unpleasant and told us that she could not return our 350euro deposit as the gite was "filthy", "the worst she had seen in ten years". I had cleaned the gite every day except the last with the very limited cleaning equipment available. All bins had been emptied, all utensils either cleaned and put away or in the dishwasher. There were no marks on soft furnishings or walls. There were about twenty toy bullets on various corners of the floor as my son had dropped a packet, and she was very angry about this. There coffee machine was on the floor as the kitchen is short of surface space/plugs. The machine itself and the pot were both missing lids, hence some coffee marks on the tiling. Again, she was furious. She described the surface top oven as filthy. It had been used to cook two pizzas and finish off BBQ meat once. There was a half cm dent on an ikea type kitchen unit (I think most owners who rent properties, myself included, would view it as 'wear and tear'). I had never noticed it and none of us had any knowledge of having done it, and we were essentially accused of being dishonest. Howard said he wanted to keep our deposit for three weeks In case any damage became apparent (this was after cathy had already scrutinised the place). Eventually, we agreed that we would wait on site while the owners further examined the gite. After this, cathy appeared with our full deposit and her manner was polite again - she had stopped shouting and making offensive comments- but she did not apologise. The whole experience was utterly bizarre and upsetting, especially for our boys who were distressed by it. We rent self catering properties three times a year and have done so for many years. We have never before had any issues with owners / deposit / cleanliness of accommodation on departure. I would not advise dolphin gites to families with lots of sons, as I think this was the issue! If you are going and you get bad vibes on check in, check the property like you would a hire car and report all damage at once to the owners (our bed was broken on arrival and rather than making a fuss, my husband just fixed it - I got shouted at about that too!), and be cautious not to surrender your deposit to cover ongoing maintenance.

We have stayed at the Dolphin Gites on two previous occasions during the last two years and this was our third visit.
This was, it has to be said, the most relaxing holiday that we can remember. The weather was beautiful and Howard and Cathy ( Proprietors of the Dolphin Gites) went out of their way to make us feel at home.
From the beautiful heated swimming pool to the tranquil location of the Gites it was a fantastic week. Gite 6 provided excellent accommodation for the two of us although it would easily sleep four, it was clean, very well presented and extremely comfortable. The baker that delivered fresh croissants and baguettes each morning from his van in the courtyard was a truly fantastic touch. Book your holiday with confidence and enjoy!

This was our 3rd stay at Dolphin Gites and our first ‘on-site’ in Gite 6 (Old Logis). Everything more than exceeded our expectations. We found our stay to be very restful and relaxing throughout. We were fortunate enough to be blessed with 14 days of sunshine during our 2 week holiday. Our 4 year old son had no end of fun with other children of all ages (4 years - 17 years) in the safe surroundings of the extensive grounds and gardens. Moreover, the convivial fun continued in the warm outdoor pool. Our gite was spacious and well equipped with a washing machine, dishwasher and every kitchen utensil you could think of. A lovely environment/atmosphere in which to experience a family holiday. A hidden gem in the heart of the Vendee region. This is a special holiday destination with so much to see and do in the nearby vicinity. In our opinion, La Rochelle and Ile de Re are certainly worth a long day out and both possess real character and charm of their own. So much for children of all ages- from high wire adventure parks, crazy golf, quad bikes, water parks, canoeing. We also explored a few of the well laid out and sign-posted bike paths/routes which can be taken in directly from Dolphin GItes. Bikes can be hired for a nominal fee.We will be back in 2014.

Great location, - make the effort and visit La Rochelle, Puy du Fou, etc.
Its a friendly atmosphere and safe environment which works for the whole family. Children are happy to mix with other children and adults can relax too. Perfect!
The hosts are accommodating and are always available to help.

This was the latest of our many visits to Dolphin Gites. This time we stayed in gite 6. The large kitchen dining room is an ideal area to sit and plan your day. Adjacent to the well equipped kitchen area is the lounge, with tv and dvd player. Outside is the secluded patio with bbq, table and chairs, and beautiful views over the splendid gardens, orchard and surrounding countryside. The village is quiet and peaceful, but a short drive will take you to miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Howard and Cathy are charming hosts, expect to make friends for life. They will both go out of their way to make you feel welcome, whether you are first time visitors or a returning guest. Dolphin Gites provide perfect, holiday accommodation, and we always look forward to another visit.