Hôtel Novotel Amiens Pôle Jules Verne

We had a lovely dinner in the bright dining room overlooking the swimming pool terrace. The staff were friendly and helpful, and let us store our e-bikes safely in a meeting room area. We were travelling from the Netherlands to catch the Cherbourg ferry to Ireland. My Accor membership points made it even better value, saving €40 off the room rate, and we also got a free drink on arrival. We had a nice room.

My wife was recovering from a broken ankle, and the stairs to our first-floor room were very difficult for her to climb. There was no lift. The hotel came across as a place for coach parties in transit. We rejected the first two rooms because the carpets were disgusting. The third room's carpet was heavily worn, though less stained. The walls also need tidying, and replacing the carpets would bring the place closer to the brand standard. As the last hotel of our European tour, it was a huge disappointment.

The room was huge, with a massive bed, and there was tea and coffee available. The reception had a lovely festive feel. I upgraded from my usual Ibis stay while travelling back from the Alps, and was really impressed. The only things missing were milk for the coffee and BBC or Sky News on the TV.

I slept very well, and the rooms were very clean. Our booking was all-inclusive, but dinner didn't meet expectations. It took too long for the main course to arrive, and I think they may have forgotten to serve our meals. The food was okay, but nothing special. Restaurant service could be better.