Hotelf1 Valence Nord

The staff were very friendly and the rooms were fine. We had to make up the top bunk ourselves, but I understand why. It’s in a remote spot surrounded by what seem to be industrial plots. You can walk the distance to a restaurant or supermarket, but the area isn’t really walk-friendly.

I wouldn’t recommend this place at all. I stayed one night while travelling from Norway to Spain, and it was the worst place of all the hotels I stayed in. The location is very good and the price is low, but the room didn’t feel clean at all: I found hair in the bathroom and on the bed. There was no bin, not even a tiny one, and the same towel was meant for the shower and for drying your hands or face. At breakfast, the buffet looked normal for the price until I found there were no napkins, plates for toast, or coffee cups. I got a cup by asking, but the staff spoke only French, so I had to point and mime. They replied in French, as they did when I tried speaking English. Instructions were only in French too. The only English was on the fire notice. A hotel beside a highway should speak more than just French, English for example, and cleanliness should be a basic minimum.

We arrived around 3 p.m. and waited about 45 minutes because no one was at reception to check us in. Then staff insisted we hadn’t paid, even though I thought the booking was paid through trip.com, and made us pay again. My bank showed two charges, but the staff weren’t interested in helping. They took personal calls, laughed, and ignored us while we waited to speak with them. No one at the hotel spoke English, so I had to contact trip.com myself to sort it out and get a refund. The room was the smallest I’d ever seen in a hotel. The bedding had cigarette burns, there were hairs in the sink and shower, and the hotel didn’t smell clean. I regretted booking it and would rather sleep under a bridge next time.

The hotel was clean and tidy, with easy access from the motorway and plenty of parking. The rooms are a bit small, but that’s acceptable for a budget hotel meant for an overnight stop. It was a better experience than at other hotels in the same chain.