Hôtel Altica La Rochelle

The location was handy for the university and the city centre, about a 15-minute walk, and breakfast was generous. The room was fine for a short stay, though the pillows were very uncomfortable and the bathroom had no shower enclosure, so water ended up everywhere. Service was quite poor. I found a large stain on the mattress cover at check-in, but reception replaced it straight away. Then, after a morning meeting, I came back at 12:15 to shower before an important meeting and found there was no water. Staff said it had been shut off for repairs and offered a shower in another room. I said that wasn't a good solution and that shutting off water in the middle of the day without warning made no sense. They replied that they'd assumed nobody would shower then. You get what you pay for, I guess.

The welcome desk staff were friendly, and having extra parking available was a nice bonus. I had a comfortable room and liked the breakfast. The location was good, though it got a little noisy at night. The rooms are very bare, with no furniture on the balcony. There was no tea or coffee in the room, and getting it downstairs cost extra.

The staff made a big difference. They were all exceptionally helpful and pleasant, and patient with my limited French and frequent cluelessness. The buffet was good quality, with decent ingredients, hot and cold choices, and a good coffee machine. Rooms are clean and comfortable, though small and quite basic. This is an economical, functional place to stay. I’d use the chain again when travelling alone, but with my daughters on holiday I’d pick somewhere more luxurious.

We were glad to have air conditioning in the hot weather, and the reception staff were lovely. They spoke better English than we spoke French. The room and bathroom were clean, the beds were decent, and breakfast was good enough. It’s basic but comfortable, and I’d definitely stay with B&B hotels again.