Hotelf1 Niort St Maixent

The rooms were grim: stains on the carpet and bedspreads, plus a radiator and TV that didn't work. The bathrooms were filthy, and the entrance smelled strongly of pastis and cigarettes, with hooded people filling it. We were yelled at by an incompetent receptionist who couldn't even write a bill, simply because we had booked through Booking.com. You'd be better off sleeping in your car.

Thankfully, breakfast was much more pleasant when we woke up, so that's where the one star comes from. We arrived late after finishing a concert with my band about 20 km away, and the person wearing headphones gave us a terrible welcome and wouldn't listen to our explanation about the smoking and non-smoking room allocation. A loud, low hum from the ventilation system carried on through the rest of the night.

Breakfast meant washing the dishes yourself, and the shared showers and toilets were very dirty. There were stains on both the sheets and carpet in the room. We also had a misunderstanding about the reservation. Even at this low price, I'd go somewhere else.

The welcome was pleasant and the price was low. Breakfast was hearty and the room was clean, though it smelled of smoke. Other guests were too noisy.