HotelF1 Marseille Est La Valentine

Fine if you just need a basic place to sleep for one night. The room was tiny, and the bathroom and shower felt like a portable toilet. It was warm on the cold evening we stayed, thanks to the heater. It’s not very central, and our sheets had stains.

There’s breakfast, but not much else, just a vending machine, so come prepared. The place is close to an out-of-town shopping complex. My room was clean and had what I needed: a private cabin-style bathroom, charging points, a quiet, efficient air conditioner, and a TV. They let me keep my cycle in the room. If you’re cycling, expect about a 40-minute ride into the city, mostly uphill.

We couldn’t stay here. The hotel smelled bad and was extremely dirty, so I wouldn’t recommend booking it. After checking in, we went to the room and checked out again 15 minutes later. There was dirt on the floor, stains on the walls and ceiling, and bugs crawling near the bed. They didn’t refund our money. If you care about your own or your family’s health, don’t book this hotel.

The room itself is basic, which I can live with, but my door wouldn’t shut properly, the lock didn’t work, and bugs were getting in. Getting around by public transit is a serious problem: the nearby bus stops running around 9 pm, and the next closest stop is about a 20-minute walk along busy roads with poor sidewalks. The air conditioning and flexible check-in are the only reasons I’m giving this place more than one star.