Un Lieu Unique

At €585 for four nights, I expected much better, especially after seeing the pleasant-looking photos. There’s no free parking nearby, despite what the listing says, and you have to climb four flights of stairs. The apartment hadn’t been cleaned: the floor was dirty and in poor condition, the switches were greasy, the wallpaper was damaged, and the curtain rods weren’t secured. The shutters were worn, looked like they might fall, and wouldn’t close properly. The shower leaks badly and splashes water everywhere. The hanging chair was broken and left on the floor, and the radiator was too. Not all the electrical outlets work, so I had safety concerns. The vacuum was broken, full, and hadn’t been cleaned; there was no broom or mop either. The coffee machine was broken, the sofa uncomfortable, and there was no Wi-Fi. How can they rent out a place like this at that price? It’s disgraceful. I’m going to notify the municipal services and the organization that manages the tourist tax, because this place has no place in the vacation rental market.

The best parts were the location, right in the old town, and the pleasant terrace overlooking the Thiou river, though it was noisy. The bed was reasonably comfortable. But at €190 a night without breakfast, the stay felt unreasonable. There’s no reception, since this “hotel” offers apartments. We were given the number for Ludivine, supposedly available to help, but she didn’t answer calls, texts, or emails. The Wi-Fi couldn’t be detected, and with nobody reachable, that was frustrating. The sheet was stained, the glasses had marks underneath, and dust and debris had collected in the corners. The room door handle was so fragile it broke and stopped us closing the door, so we had to call the cleaner. The cheap, unbranded coffee capsules tasted more like water than coffee. For €20 per person, breakfast was practically just frozen pastries. The wallpaper was faded, and there wasn’t enough hot water to fill the large bathtub, leaving us with a lukewarm or cold bath. Toiletries amounted to two tiny bars of soap, with no body lotion, conditioner, cotton pads, or anything else. Don’t be fooled.

The place looked lovely on the website, so I tried to arrange a gift certificate. I emailed, sent a Facebook Messenger message, and eventually managed to speak with the owner by phone after a lot of effort. We settled the details, and I texted my contact information as requested. Since then, I’ve heard nothing. It leaves me wondering whether this place even exists.

We stayed one night as a couple in the Cocoon Room studio, which has a kitchenette and themed decor. It cost 140€ for the night. The idea is nice and the decor has been thought through, though it feels a little cheap. Ludivine, the manager, was quite available when we had questions. We had a nice time 😜