Novotel Paris Nord Expo Aulnay Hotel

The room telephone didn't work, so we had to go down from the 5th floor to reception, and they didn't fix it either. The heating was also unreliable. We warned hotel management several times, but nothing was done. Three times, when it was 4 C outside, they shut off the heating at 01:00 during the night. We woke up to a room temperature of 16 C. It was an unbelievable experience. This is the worst hotel I've stayed in so far, and we will never stay at any Novotel again.

The room itself was okay, but our shower gel bottle was empty when we arrived. We tried calling, but the phone was broken. They already knew about it and said they had no replacement. Even after we told them about the empty bottle, front desk and housekeeping apparently didn't communicate, and nobody came to refill it. Every night we had to shower with hand soap. Breakfast was extremely disappointing. As a group, we were treated like second-class guests and given a school cafeteria-level breakfast with no menu changes. Service was even worse, especially the staff's attitude. When we asked to switch to the normal breakfast, they named a ridiculous price and made faces as if we couldn't afford it, instead of apologizing that they couldn't serve us. This doesn't deserve to be an Accor property. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

The layout made the room feel awkward and cramped, with an extra door that didn't seem necessary. The separate WC and bathroom arrangement was strange, and the WC door was so badly designed that you had to go all the way in, back up as far as possible, then try to close it. It still wouldn't shut, and it made a huge noise. The intercom didn't work, there were no tea or coffee supplies, and there was no room service. A very bad stay, and the poorest Novotel I've ever visited. Not at all what I'd expect from a 3/4 star hotel. I can't recommend it.

This was my third stay here because my meetings and work are within walking distance, but after what happened today I’d rather spend money on Ubers or taxis than come back. There was another guest waiting for the receptionist, and the staff member at the counter saw her and said nothing. When the receptionist finally arrived, she was very polite, and it seemed she’d been occupied with work outside the reception area. I don’t expect someone to sit at the desk every second, but the way this was handled was frustrating. The hotel needs to improve its basic guest service, especially for customers like me who hardly ever complain. Getting inside on Day 3 was another problem. You have to ring the front door bell, then wait for someone to let you in. We stood there for 25 minutes. A staff member looked straight at us and went back inside, so we thought he was going to open the door. Ten minutes later, a car came out and we got in while the door was open, since it opens automatically from inside. I asked the staff member why he hadn’t let us in. He said only the receptionist could open the door. I asked why he hadn’t called or gone to find her, and got no answer. That was an hour ago, and now someone else was waiting too. On Day 1, I went down to work at the “working Table” and asked for the lobby light to be switched on. The night shift guy told me it was late and I should work in my room. I said I live in America and need to work somewhere outside my room. He just replied that we were in France and it was late. A few minutes later, after I’d sat in the dark and started working, he turned the light on.