Ibis Budget Lons-Le-Saunier

We were passing through the Jura region and stayed one night. The welcome was warm, and service stayed friendly throughout. The rooms were clean and fine for Ibis Budget, but breakfast was much fresher than we expected. I’d recommend it as a stop while touring.

A useful, good-value hotel for a stop on the way to or from the Alps or South of France, and not far from the autoroute. The staff were courteous and efficient, communication was excellent, and they even returned something I’d left behind. Rooms were clean and spacious, and the facilities were good. Parking is free right in front of the hotel. Across the car park there’s an excellent traditional restaurant, though it’s quite pricey, as well as a Buffalo Grill. There are plenty more options in town. Highly recommended.

I wouldn’t recommend this hotel to anyone. We booked at the last minute on our way to Germany because it’s near the highway. The fenced parking felt safe, and reception was kind and spoke very good English, a plus compared with other hotels we booked in France. But the room was in very poor condition and clearly needed renovation. We checked in at 15:20 and found the bed hadn’t been cleaned at all. Reception said they were short on cleaning staff. There was no ventilation in the toilet or bathroom, and they smelled strange, so we didn’t shower. The air conditioning didn’t really work either. When we woke up, the room was at 71% humidity and 21.3 degrees, and we didn’t want to stay a minute longer. The breakfast area, by the reception desk at the entrance, was tiny and crammed with tables and chairs. People could hardly get around to sit down and kept bumping into each other. There was very little choice at breakfast. This was the worst IBIS I’ve experienced. I didn’t expect much for one overnight stop at this price, but simple and clean should be the minimum.

We stayed at the modern, comfortable Ibis Budget in Lons le Saunier while driving an electric car from Piemonte to the Channel. It had a good charger and was a convenient, short drive from town. Lons itself is a lovely city to visit, with plenty of interest and good food. We slept well and had a good breakfast.