ibis Lausanne Centre

The room had good Wi-Fi, and we could connect our laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable to watch our own movies. Breakfast was very tasty, and the lobby had free table football. The place was spotless, and Stefan and the other staff were friendly. The location is right in the city centre, with secure parking beneath the hotel. We didn't like that there were no vegetables at breakfast. Our room's French window faced the sidewalk, so passers-by could see inside, and they did. It seems to be locked for safety, but that meant we couldn't let in fresh air. Those were small drawbacks, and we thought the hotel was above the standard of other Ibis hotels, hence the 5 stars.

At 180-310 CHF per room each night, we expected much better. The ventilation didn't work, and with four people in the room it got warm even when it was cold outside. We reported it, but nothing changed. We had booked for a family of four and were put in an Accessible room with a shower that wasn't well designed for anyone without access needs. The shower room had water damage and needed repairs. There were two proper beds, a sofa bed and a camp bed, but the bed linen was ripped and wasn't replaced during three cleans. No extra pillows or linen were provided, and there was no tea or coffee in the room. Spend that money elsewhere.

Stefan at reception was especially professional and kind. He explained things clearly, made everything easy for us and was always available to guide guests. The whole staff were friendly and helpful, but his reception service really stood out.

The whole stay was a nightmare, and we left without staying. When we arrived in the evening, my wife, our two young children and I were trapped in the car park for over 30 minutes. We rang the intercom several times and got no answer, then tried calling the hotel but there was no reception. I eventually walked up three levels of car ramps to get to reception. The two young receptionists were chatting, and one was laughing on the phone. When I told him we'd been stuck, he laughed and told the person on the phone he'd "talk later." Instead of helping, they argued that I should have pressed the intercom only once, blamed a "technical problem," and sent me back down the stairs to the car park. The manager later said he wouldn't let us stay if I kept criticizing them. We had no intention of staying in a hotel that felt so unsafe and poorly managed, and asked to cancel without charges. The area felt very run-down and unsafe, like a ghetto, and there was a constant bad smell in the corridors. When I asked for written confirmation, the manager signed the email "Prenom." I asked his name, and he said prenom. I explained that prenom means first name in French and told him to stop lying and give me his real first name. He finally said Jose, but wouldn't give his last name, saying, "This is not Australia." Staff laughing while my family was stuck in a dangerous situation was horrible and unprofessional. Cheap is cheap, you really get what you pay for. A nightmare from hell.