Le Petit Majestic

It's cheap, but awful and very old. The whole hotel smelled bad, from the reception through the corridors and into the room. The room wasn't very clean either; there was a huge cobweb in one ceiling corner. The bathroom was tiny, old, and very uncomfortable, with tiles coming off the wall and an old, dirty shower curtain. The plumbing made awful noises constantly, and we could hear the room next door using its bathroom. The window was broken: when it was open, we couldn't shut it, and when it was closed, we couldn't open it. Avoid this hotel!

If comfort is what you're after, I'd skip this hotel. But if money is tight, it may do. You get what you pay for, and it might be more suitable in winter when it's cooler. If you're visiting in summer, spend the extra euros on different accommodation; you won't regret it. Lourdes is a small, economically depressed town, so there aren't loads of great low-cost hotels to choose from. The town isn't set up for heat waves, and summer is usually milder there, so this hotel has no air conditioning. The room cleanliness was average. The bathrooms could be larger, less damp-smelling, and have an extractor fan. The staff were reasonably pleasant but not especially accommodating. From my first-floor room, I heard a woman shouting at reception staff for about an hour about how awful her family's experience at the hotel was.

The location is handy, especially since taxis can be hard to get in Lourdes, even if the hotel is a bit pricey. It's about ten minutes on foot to both the train station and the Basilica, a real plus. The rooms are small and a little old, with poor ventilation and not much light. There was a murky smell, and even the toilets didn't flush properly. I think you get what you pay for. If you only need somewhere to sleep while spending more time at the Basilica and exploring, it's good enough.

The staff were friendly and spoke English, and there’s free parking close by, though spaces are limited. It’s a small hotel within easy walking distance of everything. The place does feel a little dated.