Nouvel Hôtel du Commerce

Travelled to the Gorges du Verdon as a family of 4, used to holidays in France, but completely new to this area. We had a wonderful time in Castellane, and this was in no small part due to our choice of hotel. The hotel location overlooking the market square was perfect, with restaurants, shops, water sports activity providers and well-signposted walking trails all within a few steps of the front door. The hotel was an excellent base for activities, with several different lounge and outdoor seating areas to spend time, so we never felt that the hotel was overcrowded, even in peak season. The small outdoor pool was perfect to cool down after a hot walk, but for swimmers wanting to do some lengths, the public pool 2 minutes walk away is the best (and cheap) option. There was plenty of food at the buffet breakfast, with enough variety for our family, and the small bar had a good selection of cold drinks to go alongside their cocktail selection. The hotel staff were all very friendly and helpful, and our neighbouring rooms were clean, spacious (especially for France) and comfortable. Our rooms were not air-conditioned, but judicicious use of the shutters during the day kept the rooms cool enough. We booked canyoning and rafting activites whilst we were in Castellane, both of which we really enjoyed. Note that rafting days are limited to 2 days per week (when EDF opens the dam), so book early or in advance. In short, we would not hesitate to recommend this hotel.