Appartements Hermine

The train station is within 50m, with connections to anywhere in the city. There are supermarkets and a Cafe nearby, a local market a short walk away, and a roof top bar at the hotel across the road. We stayed in apartment 6 for 4 nights and found it easily. Checkin was simple with the key safe and the instructions they sent. There was plenty of space for our family of 4, with one large double bed, queen I think, another double and a single. The apartment was clean and comfortable, including the beds, and nice and warm during our winter visit.

A couple of things to be ready for: this is an apartment rather than a hotel, so there’s no staff on site or check-in desk. You get the key from a lock-box by the front door using a code sent by email, so make sure you can access your email while travelling. Some booking sites don’t explain this clearly, Expedia didn’t mention it at all. There isn’t elevator access to every apartment, and you may need to climb two or three floors. That could be difficult for people with mobility issues, very small children, or lots of heavy luggage. Our two-bedroom apartment had a large living room and was very comfortable for three adults. It was clean and beautifully decorated. The location was perfect, right along the canal, next to a subway stop, and an easy walk from old town attractions. The kitchen had a coffee maker with filters, kettle, toaster, microwave, stove, and fridge/freezer. We used the directions provided with the check-in and check-out instructions to find a nearby grocery store and get what we needed for meals.

We had a hard time finding the place after getting out of the taxi. It was hidden behind scaffolding, and the host’s contact number we were given was disconnected. A resident of the apartment block helped us realize we were in the right spot and called the host, who told us where to find the key. Inside, everything was filthy with sand and dust from the renovations. The elevator was ‘out of order’, so my family and I had to carry suitcases weighing 20kg + up 4 flights of stairs. The rooms were cramped, barely enough space for four people and four suitcases, and the paper thin, FAKE mattresses were uncomfortable. Even the toilet paper in the bathroom was dusty, probably because of the renovations. We found a bottle of Rose and a box of chocolates in the room, and at first thought it was a kind gesture. Then we heard the banging and drilling, saw workmen through the toilet window, and smelled their cigarette smoke through the lounge room window. It felt like the welcome treat was a coverup. The hosts hadn’t told us at booking that renovations were under way. I would NOT recommend this place to anyone.

This was very disappointing and not what I expected. It didn’t feel family friendly, especially with teenagers. The apartments were being renovated, but we weren’t told before booking. The lifts weren’t working, so we had to carry our suitcases up 3 flights of stairs covered in sand and dust. It felt so dangerous. Not impressed at all!!