Villa Medicis Autun

The building is lovely, but the place felt institutional to me, and the service was seriously lacking. I was travelling alone and called on the morning I planned to arrive. No one was there to take bookings in the evening, but I was told there were vacancies. I asked for the single occupancy rate and was refused. Since I think this is the only hotel with parking near the historic centre, I went ahead and took it. There was nobody at reception when I arrived, so I walked around the courtyard looking for someone. Then I spotted a mobile phone on the desk that you were meant to use to call for help. A rather brusque young woman eventually appeared and took my money. I later realized reception was rarely staffed. Parking required a tricky keypad, and getting back into the building did too. Apart from the young woman and an elderly resident who knocked on my door by mistake, the only person I met was a woman visiting her elderly parents who lived there. She was actually very helpful. There are metal chairs in the courtyard, wide doors for wheelchairs and Zimmer frames, and lots of portraits of prelates and religious images, all of which added to the institutional feel. The apartment was on the top floor, which must get hot in summer, and was furnished cheaply. The floor hadn't been swept. The shower was a tacky plastic capsule, and there were two bath mats but only one small towel. It seemed pointless to try to complain. Neither of the Wi-Fi networks they gave me worked either. I didn't try St. Lazarus restaurant. There are plenty of good pizza places just a stone's throw away. Maybe the apartment would be good value for four people sharing, but I found the atmosphere disagreeable and the lack of service lamentable. The building also contains a de luxe retirement home. My apartment had two rooms and cost 100€.