Hotel Le Principal

I liked having access to the rooms from the balconies, and the pool was big, though cold. The balconies all connect, though, so people can peek through and there’s no security. The shower was dirty before we used it and slippery, with a bad hose and really poor instructions. I didn’t feel clean afterward. The room was dark, and some lights didn’t work. The manual AC had to be plugged in and set up, was really noisy, and without it the room was boiling. The bed wasn’t very comfortable, so I slept badly. Breakfast was a no for me: barely anything, just cold boiled eggs, a manual waffle maker, bagels, toast, and so on. The coffee tasted like water.

Definitely not worth 200 dollars. The sink area looked like it had been skipped completely, with very visible toothpaste and spit on the faucet and a thick layer of soap residue all over the counter. The bathtub was visibly dirty too. There were three lamps in the room, but only one worked. The front doors lock after 11, which is standard and not an issue, but after we entered our hallway, someone immediately secured the door with a sliding lock that couldn’t be opened with our key card. That felt unsettling. You also can’t use the main staircase at night.

For a summer holiday, the hotel felt overrated, and 470$ for 2 nights wasn’t worth it. The carpet smelled bad, the lighting behind the bed didn’t work, and the ceiling was covered in dust and spider webs. Even the bathroom sink was terrible. Breakfast didn’t seem fresh at all, and there wasn’t much to choose from. Maybe they have a better-renovated room for people willing to pay more.

The location is great, near lots of restaurants and the zoo. Breakfast was a letdown, though. There was nothing to eat except hard, cold boiled eggs in a fridge. One of the most annoying parts was the elevator: you have to keep your finger on the button to make it move, then it suddenly stops, so you have to let go and press again.