hotelF1 Nancy Sud

We stopped for one night on the way south, and at €52 for a room for six shared by four of us, the price was a real bargain. The room was plain but fairly clean, as were the shared bathrooms. It was hot when we arrived, but cooled down overnight. There’s no AC or ventilation, though. Parking is ample, and at night you check in at the ibis next door. The atmosphere might feel a little sketchy if you’re traveling alone. We’d read the reviews beforehand and expected something awful, but none of the things we feared happened. For the price, it’s a great catch. I’ve slept in much worse places in Madagascar!

We barely slept because breathing in the room was so difficult. It was extremely hot with no ventilation, so we needed the window open for air, but roadworks nearby were releasing toxic gases and we couldn’t leave it open. We don’t need much luxury, but oxygen would be nice. We’d paid for breakfast, yet there was almost nothing, not even a plate for bread, just marmalade, chocopasta, and warm milk. There were no towels either, and the hygiene was bad.

The breakfast at the Ibis next door was reasonable, but the rest of the night was rough. The toilets and showers were filthy, and in our family room we had to make up the children’s bunk beds ourselves. There was no reception available. Lots of noisy young people were in the hallway, and the fire alarm went off around 11:00 PM, possibly because someone was smoking in a room, then again at 6:45 AM.

The rooms are small but decent-looking, and the shared facilities were clean while I was there. My main problem was the heat and dampness inside, even though it wasn’t very warm outdoors. Opening the window was the only option, which meant road noise, and I slept very poorly. Breakfast was extremely basic, and the fruit on offer was clearly starting to rot. For the cheapest hotel around, you get what you’d expect. I’d recommend the ibis next door.