Hôtel le Capitol

I can’t believe this place is still open. The rooms and bathrooms were the most disgusting I’ve seen. There were dead rats in the corridors, no keys, sloping floors and plastic sheets. No one was at reception, and it was hot and humid. The African alligator decoration was horrible, too.

I booked ten days here for a business trip after reading the reviews, and don’t regret it. My third-floor room looked just like the pictures. In the middle of central Marseille in summer, it was a very affordable quick option. The staff treated me well, and one receptionist and the cleaning lady spoke good English. It did feel a bit self-catering. You have to ask when you need fresh towels or bed linen, and you throw your own rubbish into a large bin in the corridor. The staff helped whenever I asked. I did see two small cockroaches in the bathroom during my stay. I’m used to occasionally seeing cockroaches in cities, unfortunately, and this wasn’t a bigger problem for me than the fact that the hotel is only completely cockroach-free if you leave the bathroom light on at night.

The room had no sheet or duvet cover, so I slept under my coat because the quilt was stained with food and human waste. There were no towels either. The toilet was stained and filthy, the shower smelled like old urine and looked as if it had never been disinfected, and the curtain was mouldy and dirty. The window wouldn’t shut, and the door handle was falling off, as though someone had kicked the door in. The walls were filthy, with dirty handprints everywhere. There was no key for the room, and once the main door was shut, you couldn’t get back in. A young girl was stuck outside all night until someone left the building. Drug deals were going on nonstop next door at the bar. This is the most disgusting hotel I’ve seen. It needs demolishing. Please don’t book it. Booking.com should be ashamed to be affiliated with this place.

A really awful stay. The sheets were dirty, the lock was fake, and the street felt dangerous. The welcome was warm, though.