Campanile Calais

The room was clean and pleasant, with a very comfortable bed, and everything worked. It’s a handy base for the tunnel or ferry. That said, the first impression is of a place that’s getting tired and needs some tidying up. It’s a shame there are no meals at weekends, even if you book online.

The location is great for an overnight stop, the grounds are reasonably well kept, and the staff were excellent. The lady at the desk was kind enough to sort out a booking cancellation and refund issue after someone at Louvre Group cancelled without telling me or returning my money. That didn’t make up for the rest of the stay. I visited twice in one week and wanted to cancel the second visit after the first went badly. Expedia and Campanile each blamed the other, so neither will get my business again. Parking was a mess: people were using the EV spots, and some British guests parked in disabled bays instead of going farther around. There was no chef, so no evening meal was available, and I was told to try Deliveroo. The TV didn’t work, though I couldn’t be bothered to get it fixed. Like most of the rooms there, mine was worn and in need of repair.

The room felt freezing when we arrived, so we had to turn the heater on immediately. It didn’t heat the bathroom, which stayed very cold. The place needs updating: the floors were scratched and the dusty skirting boards were filthy. At least the bedding was clean, though we only had one thin pillow each. The steps up to the room were dangerous, and the landing at the top was a sheet of ice. They had salted the steps by the time we left the next morning.

A convenient place to stop for the night. The rooms are rather dated, but the staff were lovely and helpful, and breakfast was nice.