Les Pins

The room faced a busy street, so sleeping with the window open wasn't possible. The pool photo is tempting, but the water was green and seemed fit only for watering plants. Shared bathroom and toilet for all six rooms were in a very questionable state, and the electrical work looked improvised, including an exposed terminal block touching a metal heating pipe. We paid €52, which didn't feel like a fair price, and the station is 1 km away, so calling it nearby is misleading. The owner was absent, or at least seemed to have little regard for guests. Our room wasn't cleaned, just had the bed made, and the floor was dirty. The listing also didn't make clear that six rooms were rented out, so this wasn't a private home. By my standards it was bordering on unsanitary, and the owner seemed unscrupulous, trying to make quick money from the building through shady dealings with transient guests like tourists and workers. I gave one star only because the rating system wouldn't let me give zero. This is the first time I've spoken so strongly in a housing review. I've traveled extensively on a backpacker's budget in Asia and stayed in some very dirty places, but I don't think comparable service should be offered in France. If you're staying in Alès, avoid this place.

For the price, I expected more. We felt like we were bothering the hosts, and the room hadn't been cleaned. The bathroom was barely clean, and I couldn't find the shower gel mentioned in the listing. The toilet door wouldn't lock. Our basement room was very hot, and opening the windows meant listening to the cars.

The host gets back to you quickly, and the rooms are clean. For the price, having a little pool makes it just right.