Le Monastère des Augustines - Hôtel bien-être

Let me first say that I am not one to leave negative reviews but feel I owe it to my fellow celiacs to bring attention to this issue. This was my second trip to this establishment. Last one was 8 yrs ago. My biggest disappointment was discovering that the amazing restaurant they had back then has been replaced by a food service that comes short especially for those of us who are gluten intolerant (celiac). Every meal, I had to ask what was gluten free and was met by: are you celiac or just prefer not eating gluten because there may be cross contamination. Most times, the food attendant had to go ask the chef and come back with the very few options and some staff appeared annoyed by my request. One staff even said: you’re lucky tonight, there are 2 hot dishes (meat / fish in sauce) that are gluten free. Please note that when I made my reservation, I did specify that I required gluten free options as they do ask. Let’s just say that to be on the safe side, I ended up with only a very limited menu and was very disappointed that there was no simple carb option as rice or even potatoes but vegetables are in salads that I could not trust to be gluten free. As well, guests seemed to love the gluten free options and there was a considerable wait for the hot meals to be replenished or they just ran out. And yes! Despite my precautions, I got gluttened which is very unpleasant to go through. I do however have to give high praise to reception whom were very kind and professional in my dealings with them. In fact, Felix deserves high praise for his professionalism.

I was very excited to stay in such a special, historic and unique hotel. I chose the authentic room which was perfectly fine although I did not realize there was no bathroom in the room (there are a few in the hall). After the initial shock I got used to it. The silent breakfast was right up my alley. For most people (with no dietary restrictions) the breakfast is fabulous and healthy. I also had dinner twice which was delicious and the chef was so kind to work around my gluten allergy. I really enjoyed walking and reading in the serene garden. The museum and the chapel are also interesting. Make sure to try the herbal teas - I ended up buying the whole box from their boutique. The location is great - I found using the second floor door much more convenient to walk around. The staff was pleasant and helpful. Merci beaucoup!