Couiza Ducs Des Joyeus - www.chateau-des-ducs.com

We had a very pleasant stay here, but felt it was very expensive, and although the food was excellent, this too was expensive. Perhaps we had been spoiled, as we were driving home from Spain having spent 8 nights in Paradors where the accommodation was wonderful for much the same price.

I do think the state of the stairs should be mentioned though, as they are clearly unsuitable for anyone with a disability or the elderly. We were also under the impression that the rooms were going to be larger, so maybe the descriptions need to be amended.

That said, it is still a lovely hotel, and well worth a visit.

Arrived to the Couiza Ducs Des Joyeus stunning castle and into the courtyard. Once we had been allocated a room, we were very pleased with the castle, although the stone spiral steps worn by time are very interesting, and you can almost hear the footsteps of the Dukes and the Knights who must have walked these steps over the centuries. We were on the second floor. We made careful headway up the stairs, which could be dangerous for anyone who didn't take enough care, through an old doorway, and into a corridor. The room was small and basic, but tastefully decorated. The ceilings were very high as you would expect. The shuttered windows opened out onto a beautiful scene of trees and swifts flying around in the air, and the sound of the River Aude was very exhilarating.

We stayed in Couiza at the castle for 6 days, and we had total peace and tranquility throughout the stay. On one occasion we went to have a drink in the beautiful bar. The staff here are very trusting, and leave you to it. If you want a drink you must go to the restaurant and ask a barman to attend to you. Staff were very helpful and spoke English very well. If you leave the hotel before about 8am on the last day, you have to make sure that you have settled your bill the night before. Again, there was no one to help us with the cases, which was OK with us as we were relatively fit, but for disabled or elderly, this would be almost impossible without help. Instead of sitting inside, we decided to go an sit under the walls of the castle in the evening on the lovely grounds beside the fast flowing river Aude with our wine (about a £1 a litre), and local beer from the Spar up the road. We took the glasses from the room and sat in total isolation together until the sun went down. Utter Tranquility and Utter Bliss. At the end of a busy day touring the area, this is a lovely base. We were totally refreshed from the holiday and forgot about work completely until our return home.