An oasis in the heart of Carcassonne

"I travel every year to Europe for pleasure, and always prefer stays in B&Bs. As one of my traveling companions remarked, “this is the best experience we’ve had yet!” To put that in perspective, this traveling companion and I have been traveling together for over 15 years and have likely stayed in over two dozen B&Bs throughout the years. Here are our reasons for this gold-star-plus review (on which the four of us who stayed there agree): Excellent location in the “new town” (Bastide) with very good restaurants nearby. The walk to the walled medieval city is about 15 minutes and crosses the river with excellent views. The beds were very comfortable and the rooms very clean with fine bathroom fixtures and amenities. Breakfast was excellent— variety of meats, cheeses, pasties, bread, jams, cereals and yogurt, plus coffee, teas and juices. There is a cozy living room in which you can enjoy a glass of wine by the fireplace (we visited in mid-November); in the summer, you can enjoy the swimming pool (cause to return in the summer months). Given the extent of these amenities and the comfort of the sleeping arrangements, the property would score high on anyone’s list. But 45BB receives this exceptional rating from us for two additional reasons: Sadie and Joachim. Perfect hosts. They truly took the time to ensure every detail of our stay was excellent. They recommended wonderful (and unique) restaurants, helped with our touring itinerary and, at the end of a long day, brought out a bottle of wine and unwound with us by the fire. We enjoyed every minute of their company. I rarely write reviews, and certainly none that are this long. But I was impressed. So … there it is! Thank you Sadie and Joachim."