Best Western Premier Why Hotel

The best things here were the comfortable beds, spacious bathrooms, and the hotel's location in a fantastic area within a short walk of great restaurants and attractions. The staff were also great and did their best with the circumstances. If the air conditioning, key cards, and cleanliness were fixed, this would be 4-5 stars. As things stand, I can't rate it above 2 stars. It did live up to its namesake, though, since I found myself shaking my head and asking “Why?” several times. On the third floor, we were told at check-in that our room wouldn't have air conditioning, and it was too hot to sleep well. The windows opened wide but had no bug screens, so we had to pick between fresh air and a room full of insects. The key cards barely worked, and we had to get them recharged nearly every time we wanted to get back in, despite following the usual precautions. One bed also didn't have clean sheets when we arrived.

They told us at check-in that we'd get free bar drinks if we chose "green cleaning." We did, but all they did was make the bed. They didn't even bring the toiletpaper we needed, and there were no free drinks. That's fine, but why make a big deal of it at check-in? The room and hotel felt worn down. Moisture had damaged the bathroom walls, the sink leaked and left a puddle below, and the shower floor had big cracks with the top surface missing in several places. The room phone was completely dead, with no connection, and the thermostat was broken, leaving the room too cold. We also had drinks at the bar, but both the Aperol Spritz and Mojito tasted like plain water. This isn't a 4-star hotel, not by a long way. I'm really disappointed. They said the minibar was free, which sounded generous, but it only contained one bottle of water. And who thought installing a sliding bathroom door that lets you see everything and everyone inside was a good idea?

The friendly, helpful staff were the best part of our stay, and the minibar drinks and beer at check-in were nice extras. Our Prestige room had a cracked, peeling shower tray and a stiff door, while the sink was backing up. We reported the sink and it was fixed that day. The hotel is handy for Lille's old town, though that street location does bring some noise. I came away fairly positive, mostly thanks to the staff.

We were welcomed with a handwritten note in the room, a lovely touch. The room was spotless and comfortable, breakfast was great, and the service was excellent. It’s right in the heart of Lille, and the stay was fantastic value. Highly recommended!