Hôtel Inn Design Laon

I know the difference between good and bad, and this was good. I woke early after a good night's sleep in a clean, comfy bed, and the staff experience others have mentioned matched ours. The girl who greeted us couldn't have been nicer. It's an ex-IBIS, so the rooms are on the smallish, basic side, but they're clean, functional, and well located. There was a little distant traffic noise, good parking on site, and it's handy for the motorways. Perfect for a first night after the drive from Calais, and definitely worth the money.

We were glad we'd booked ahead, since the place was full when we arrived. The staff were friendly, and there was plenty at breakfast to set us up for the drive south. It's a perfect place to stop on a long journey. The nearby German cemetery is worth a stroll, and don't miss the cathedral either, though don't try walking there.

If you just need a bed for the night, this low-cost hotel does the job. The facilities are below average.

The price is hard to beat. I paid £30 for one night, and the hotel is very close to a McDonald's and a Carrefour, which was handy because Laon was so quiet when we arrived and we were glad to find somewhere to get food. It's also easy to get back to the motorway. You do get what you pay for, though, so it depends whether you need a comfortable bed or just an affordable place for one night. The bed was rock hard, the pillows were flat and left me with a bad neck, and it was very hot so we had to keep the windows open. Someone was smoking somewhere, and the smoke came into our bedroom for an hour and a half. We had two children with us. I couldn't figure out where the smell was coming from, so I couldn't report it. The staff were very good at replying to emails before we arrived and sending the access code for our late arrival, but when I mentioned the smoke at checkout in the morning, the staff member seemed a bit defensive. I was reporting what had happened, not complaining.