Ibis Styles Bordeaux Gare Saint Jean

The building itself wasn’t great, though the service was okay. It was nice that luggage storage was available. Breakfast was average but decent, although I don’t understand why the cappuccino option comes with hot chocolate. The shower’s small floor tiles need cleaning for mould, and there should be plugs by the bed.

The staff were friendly and really helpful when I had to change my plans twice before arriving, because of last-minute agenda changes and a pilot strike. I stayed two nights. It’s a two-minute walk to the train station, and the tram makes it easy to get downtown in Bordeaux.

The staff were very welcoming, the beds comfortable, and the room temperature just right. Breakfast is included and has plenty of choices, with fresh fruit too. The rooms may need updating, like most Ibis Styles, but the value for the price is hard to question.

The staff were very nice, but I’d have been better off in a hostel. This was the most depressing hotel I’ve ever stayed in. We booked two nights after our flights changed, assuming an Ibis would meet certain standards. At over £100 a night, it wasn’t cheap. The shabby concrete walls and disgusting 70s bathroom made it feel worse than a South American prison. There was barely room to unpack a small suitcase, and the little window looked out onto a dirty roof. There were no toiletries, just thin, shabby towels. The shared areas smelled musty, and vagrants slept on mattresses against the hotel overnight.