Best Western Urban Hotel

I don’t understand the 3-star rating, or the 4.3 on Google. The hotel barely felt sufficient. In winter I need heat, a working shower, and basic cleanliness, and I found problems with all three. The old hair was still on the bathroom floor the next day, even after clean towels arrived. I did eventually work out that the shower temperature could be adjusted only with the water trickling at low pressure. On January 30, after a stressful day of cancelled trains, I just wanted a warm room and a clean, hot shower. The room was freezing, so I turned on the electric heater and asked for a second duvet. It took about 45 minutes for the heater to start warming the room, and the duvet took around another 15 minutes to arrive after I’d waited the first 20. The bathroom floor had someone else’s hair and mold on it, and there was only one thin towel. I tried to overlook that and shower anyway, but the rain head didn’t work, leaving only the handheld one. At full blast the water was scalding, so I stayed out of its path and tried to warm up in the steam. When I stepped out, water had pooled on the floor because the shower wasn’t sealed properly. The mold looked active, and I worried there might be more under the floorboards. I was there for four days on a business trip, booked through my company, and didn’t even pay myself. I still felt scammed. The Google Maps photos looked AI-enhanced, outdated, or like mock-ups of future renovations. I’m used to camping and don’t expect luxury, but the room’s condition was too much. The 3-star sign appears to date from 2017 and to have lasted five years, through 2022, so I don’t know whether that qualification was renewed. I doubt it. I’d give the hotel one or two stars at best. If you’re fine with being cold, finding other people’s hair, and breathing mold spores while you sleep, this may suit you. Otherwise, avoid it.

We didn’t eat at the hotel, so I can’t say anything about the food. The staff were friendly, the bed was comfortable, and the gated parking on site felt secure, which was a bonus for us. It’s a quirky, fresh-feeling place and was very quiet at night despite being in an urban area. The walk into Lille centre took about 30 minutes.

We got stuck in the lift for an hour before anyone came to free us, and it sounded like that happened regularly. Our room was probably the smallest I’ve stayed in, with a view of desolate factories that felt post-apocalyptic. Lille itself is lovely, with plenty to see, but I see no reason to choose this hotel over somewhere in the city centre. Find private parking nearby and avoid the drug users altogether. My wife and I picked the Best Western Urban Hotel for a June visit after checking TripAdvisor. It’s on the outskirts, around a 30-45 minute walk from the lively part of town. We wanted somewhere with safe parking for our car, as well as a hotel with a good reputation. At check-in we were told our car could use the private car park only on Wednesday night, and would need to be on the street for the rest of our stay, through Sunday. When we objected, they said the change had been posted on the website. But we had called a week before arriving to ask about parking. The hotel already knew it had sold access to a corporate event, yet never told us, either on that call or before we arrived. We had to move the car out. That same night it was broken into, and the following night another guest’s car was broken into on the same street. There’s a drug addiction problem in parts of Lille, including this area. We were told cars with foreign registration are targeted because the thieves are less likely to face consequences.

We skipped breakfast and had a relaxed three-course lunch instead, with a lovely bottle of local rosé. Everything was delicious and cooked perfectly, though my friend’s cod loin with smoked haddock was the meal’s standout. The dining room is elegant and traditional. It’s a little out of the way, but there’s a Metro station just around a couple of corners. We arrived an hour before our booking to get out of the heat, with temperatures at 37 degrees on Monday, and the team were very accommodating.