ibis budget Chambéry Sud Challes-les-Eaux

It was 34°C when we got to the hotel, and we were told the air conditioning wasn’t working. It made getting a decent night’s sleep really difficult and spoiled the stay. The staff were lovely and polite, and breakfast was very good.

I only needed somewhere to sleep, and being away from the city suited me. The hotel was clean, comfortable and very affordable, with fenced parking for my motorcycle, which was a must. The staff were kind. There’s no elevator and it’s a way from the grocery shops, but neither bothered me. A very nice stay.

A hard place to beat for an overnight break on a long drive to or from the ski areas.

On 9 November, after we couldn’t find a hotel in Montmelion because we were told they were all full on Tuesdays, a kind English-speaking man and his wife booked us into the Ibis budget hotel, Chambery. They initially said they needed a credit card to reserve a room, but agreed once we explained we’d get there as soon as we could. They had only three rooms left. We arrived quickly and a nice receptionist welcomed us. The clean, comfortable room was just what two tired travellers needed after driving from southern Italy towards England. Breakfast had a good selection, and another staff member greeted us politely. We also got a pleasant goodbye when leaving. It’s a budget hotel, so you know what you’re booking; if you want something more upscale, don’t book it and then complain. The only downside was other guests shouting and slamming doors at 1, 2 and 4 in the morning. That’s not the hotel’s fault.