The Originals Résidence Aix Schuman

We arrived around 10pm and were handed keys to a room that clearly wasn’t ready. There were no pillows, just one towel, and the room was dirty. The covers had black marks, and on closer inspection there was hair underneath them. We went back to reception, where a new employee was alone on the night shift on his third day. He didn’t know how to change the room in the system. His colleagues had left him a bunch of keys with guests’ names assigned, so he gave us keys to another room that belonged to someone else. That room was for people with restricted mobility, and its shower floor was dirty and smelled. The employee came to check after we told him. He was embarrassed but didn’t know what to do, as he had no one he could contact in an emergency. We left and looked for somewhere else, finally finding a hotel just before midnight at three times the price. Before leaving, we told the reception rep we wanted a reimbursement. He didn’t know how to arrange it, but said he’d left notes for the manager coming the next day. We called Expedia the following day to explain; they contacted the hotel, which declined a reimbursement under its policy. I guess the policy is to keep your money when they give you a dirty room. We have photo proof and will update this review with it. My wife and I are still disputing the case with Expedia and will add the photos eventually. Avoid at all cost. The building looks new from the outside, but the rooms are nothing like the advertised photos.

The kitchen is equipped, and having a washing machine and coffee maker was handy. Everything in the hotel seemed new and well maintained, and it has the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. The problem was a sewage smell in our room. There’s a lot of potential here, and with that issue fixed it could easily reach five stars. If convenience and practicality matter to you, it may be a good choice, but be sure to request a room without the sewage smell.

DO NOT RECOMMEND! We had a bad experience with the property. They were unresponsive and refused to refund a booking cancelled because the guest had a health emergency. Despite the medical grounds, this was the only booking in all of France that denied us a refund.

We stayed three nights during our vacation and loved the room, which had a bedroom, kitchenette and sofa bed. It was clean and well priced, with an amazing shower and great AC. AC in Europe can be hit and miss, and we’re from Canada, so we really appreciated it. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from the city centre. There’s interior parking too, a bit expensive but very nice and clean. Honestly, it was one of the best hotels we had for the price on our trip. Not sure why it isn’t rated higher on Google.