Les Grenettes - Sea Green - Camping Île de Ré

This is not as described on the website, and doesn’t look anything like it. The place is filthy, the mobile homes are so run down and old that the decking on pretty much all of them are collapsing with big bows in the middles and uneven steps. The inside of ours was filth, hadn’t been cleaned at all, we even had a tree growing on top of the shower that had burst through the outside, the previous bed sheets were left on with what looked like mites on, thick dust everywhere, and foul smelling sewer bubbles up the sink holes when using another shower or pouring water down another sink, we arrived 10 min early and was refused and told it wasn’t ready for us. I believe we were forgotten as we couldn’t even access the barrier when we went out as we weren’t recognised! The pool was ok, no slide and nothing for the kids to do, one tiny toddler slide on some sand, shop hardly any stock and not open all day, snack area the same was only open a couple of hours here and there. Bar very basic and extremely expensive. Rude staff, apart from one male on reception who tried to get us help with our problem in the mobile home yet manager didn’t want to no, bbq we paid for hire, it was a grill, no stand for it so was on the floor with a plug that didn’t reach the socket! Didnt use it obviously! Wasn’t big enough for 8 people either, it was only a 6 berth, had to buy an air bed to get two other kids in and the slept on the lounge floor as there was no other space. Couldn’t even walk around the bed in the main bedroom it was so small, even had broken single bed, broken toaster, cutlery wasn’t clean, the list is endless. Have complained, have lots of pictures for evidence. Don’t waste your money on this site, go elsewhere.

The lodge we stayed in was very small but ok for us as we were only in there to sleep. The lodge was advertised as having a BBQ but when we asked for this we were provided with an outdoor electric grill but no outdoor sockets to use with it. The beds here were extremely uncomfortable with plastic mattresses and cushions instead of pillows which was tricky as we had bought our own bedding due to the high cost of hiring linen. The outside area could also have been cleaned before we arrived as this was quite dirty and covered in cobwebs. The pool area is lovely and clean with friendly and helpful lifeguards (no water slide as advertised though). The animation team were also really nice and remembered a lot of the children’s names. It was great to be able to walk to the beach and watch the sunset in the evenings. The ending of the holiday was spoiled by the rudeness of the staff who came to inspect the property at the end of the stay. Initially they were refusing to return our deposit as the windows hadn’t been polished (nothing is provided for you to do this). After requesting spray and they watched us clean the windows they begrudgingly said we could have our deposit back. My husband went to check with the manager that our deposit was definitely being returned and I can speak enough French to hear the inspection staff being really rude about us. It was unfortunate as we had had a great time. The island is absolutely stunning. We would definitely come to Il de Re again but would stay somewhere different next time.

I had read the reviews before we came here so I was a little sceptical However we were really surprised! I’m guessing the place has been recently taken over as the branding says ‘Sea green’ Les Grenettes And the photos regarding the pool are maybe from the old website

No way is this 5 star! We overheard another family complaining as soon as we arrived, trying to get their money back. Toilets and showers awful, pool was not as advertised - no slides. Noisy, noisy music until early hours. Really disappointed for so many reasons.

They created 4 new pitches at the back of the campsite beside some staff accommodation. Reception told me the pitch didn't exist when I arrived!! Given the option of two pitches I picked the nicer one started unpacking had my tent 3/4 erected when I started pegging and realized there was a concrete slab 3cms down under the soil. I had to move everything to the other pitch. Only service was electrical. Sinks, toilets, wash rooms, were all on the other side of the campsite beside their long standing pitches. My 8 year old daughter had a 200 meter walk through a car park if she needed the bathroom . My arms nearly fell off me when washing the dishes. Staff clearly didn't care. Campsite was expensive and we were not told we would be hidden down the back on our own. Presumable would have been less of an issue if we were in a camper van with our own facilities.

If I could give the customer service zero stars, I would. Visited over a week ago and rented bikes on site. To do so you must leave a €200 deposit each. I left a €400 deposit in total and was reassured that it would go back in to my bank on the same day once the bikes had been checked. We are a week on, left the camp site and I have not received the funds back, this has ruined my whole holiday as that was my spending money. When I called the lady on reception she said she had other things to do and it was not a priority, this was 3 days ago… still waiting…… DO NOT RUIN YOUR TRIP BY RENTING BIKES HERE. There are other places on the island that offer a much better service…. I’m sure the same can be said over all if they are this poor at basic admin tasks!!!

Where to start! I am at a loss. Got here, presented with a £500 bill as I had partially paid. It was late, I paid it, not thinking and then checked. I had paid the full amount. Showed the guy the paperwork, he said, ‘Take it up with **********’ Got quite heated and he eventually put the money back on my card. The place is like a cross between a POW camp and a 1950’s Butlins (or what i imagine them to be. As i write this, they are playing banging music in the middle of the night with a very loud dj that literally won’t atop shouting over the mic. This place is **** **** ****. SERIOUSLY, READ THE REVIEWS & DON’T COME HERE. I have been here 10 days & i hate everything about the place. You have to PAY for towels & bedsheets. The tennis rackets they give you are shocking - the grips have come off & they give you 2 or 3 tennis balls at a time. The staff, especially all at reception are surly and unpleasant - every time; all of them! No aircon or fan. Previously 35’ before i got here. Was 24’ when i was here & the place was like a greenhouse - v uncomfortable. Really hot. All windows open. Everything low rent, cheaply done Staff staggeringly rude, unhelpful & frankly useless. Toilets stopped flushing, got them fixed. Both stopped flushing, got them fixed again. I hate this place Left 1 day early knowing they would take the £150 for the night i didn’t stay there - hated it that much Car park - moody lady every time we buzz in. Eventually she says, why don’t you tell reception and your number plate will be recognised - i would have if they told me about this Rent bikes from the most useless boy out of all the useless staff. Can a rent a bike? No, none available What about later this week? No, none available? What about next week? I’ll check. There is one available on saturday? (This was tomorrow). Can i have a bike on saturday and monday? No, you can’t. Are bikes available on monday? Yes Why can’t i? You need to rent the bike for 2 or 3 days consecutive? I was losing the will to live by this point. It goes on…..staggeringly useless. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it on purpose or simply couldn’t grasp basic concepts of something he does EVERY DAY! There is a special bike route around the island that you MUST TAKE. I got angry drivers shouting at me and my daughter until I spoke to someone & found this out. Would be sensible policy for bikeboy to explain this to everyone. Please take my advice & do not come here. This is literally the worst place i have stayed in in my entire life & I HATE IT!!!!! …FYI, there is more…I could go on!!!! AVOID!!!!!!!!!

Liked: Pool nice, bar was OK, but expensive. The band, 'Tracklist' who played on Thursday 11th August were fantastic. Disliked: Pitches - VERY tight access - we deliberately booked this site as they stated they accepted twin axle caravans, but the pitch was too small and access was tight, certainly not enough room to reverse caravan in, had to slowly manoeuvre with motor mover from roadway. Another caravanner didn't have a mover, so we helped push them (along with 6 others) to get his T/A into his pitch. Pitches sand so once jockey wheel in sand it digs in and won't move. Sand EVERYWHERE! Water - very few taps on the site worked. None near our pitch worked and the drains were blocked also. Toilets & showers - very few, some main washroom buildings were boarded up and small newer temporary looking ones in their place. No seats on toilets and no toilet paper in cubicles, just some outside. No soap provided at sinks. Often had to queue for toilet or showers. Had to pay €125 deposit for 5x wristbands to enter pool - never had that before! Parking - pitches too small to get car on with caravan & awning, so had to park elsewhere, picked up a puncture there. Shop had limited range.

Beware that cancelling a booking, even more than 4 months in advance is an absolute nightmare and having a meaningful discussion with a competent person at the Camping les Grenettes, either on the phone or by email, is almost mission impossible. Like trying to cancel a mobile phone subscription, you just feel ignored and keep a bitter feeling of being ripped off. When booking, even if a year in advance and after giving a 30% pre payment, the camping is basically asking to contract a cancellation insurance with a third party. Then, they won’t do any effort to help and leave you in the hands of an insurance broker, and this insurance broker will forward your case to an insurance company. And then good luck. You will keep on receiving automated requests to pay your balance for the rental, and your reminders by emails that you actually cancelled your booking will be simply ignored. Worst customer service I have experienced, no effort whatsoever to help. I assume the mobile home rental will be empty, I will have lost a 500eur pre payment and I will keep on receiving requests to pay a 1000eur balance. It would have taken 2 days for the Camping les Grenettes to rent it again in high season after I formally cancelled 4 months ahead. A very questionable business practice in my opinion