Hôtel de Normandie

I've paid more for much worse places, so this is great value at the bargain price. Breakfast is the basic French sort, and my room had a refrigerator, which I didn't get at Ibis for more than twice the price. Everything was very clean, with good bedding and a good bed. It's an older, fairly basic hotel and you do have to climb stairs, but I like the service and atmosphere. I like staying here.

We spent most of our time out seeing beautiful Amiens, and this little old-style French hotel was a handy place to come back to. It's a short walk from the station, cafés and shops. The room was basic but clean, with a bed, shower and toilet, plus a TV. The shower is a wet room built into the room, but that didn't bother me. The dining room has a lovely old French feel, and the petite Dejuiner, or breakfast, was an excellent French-style meal for 8 Euro. Parking is available for 10 Euro and I'd recommend it. It's an old-world place with some updates, and there is no elevator. I'm 69 with bad knees and managed the stairs, though. I'd come back anytime if I can.

The location is handy for the centre, but the hotel really needs updating. It was very noisy too.

The children and teenagers hanging around the lobby when we arrived were lovely, very polite and helpful. That was the one bright spot, and I'm grateful to them. The welcome itself was pleasant, but the hotel fell well short of what I'd expected from a two-star place. I've stayed in much better two-star hotels. The stair carpets were in terrible shape, and the quilt inside its cover felt about ten years old. There also seemed to be staff or family lodging out back. When they cooked, the smells spread through the hotel, so I suggest an external kitchen extractor. The makeshift en suite was unpleasant too, with an open-top toilet and no roof, giving you a real 3D effect while using it. The lovely window and radiator in the photos give a sense of how beautiful I imagine the property must have been once upon a time. Good luck with the hotel, but I won't be back in a hurry.