Kyriad Marseille Blancarde - Timone

For what we paid, I can't complain too much. We stayed three nights as a fairly cheap option in Marseille. The staff were friendly and helpful, and let us leave our bags both when we arrived and on departure day. Our room was large enough, the bed fairly comfortable, the shower hot, and the aircon worked well without much noise. The area isn't the prettiest in Marseilles, but we liked the location. Tram, bus, and metro are handy, and walking down Boulevard Chave takes you fairly directly to the Old Port in about 30 minutes. There are good cafes and restaurants along the way, including La Beerocratie and Le Trois Quarts. Around the small lanes between Place Jean Jaurès and Cours Julien, at the west end of Bvd Chave, you'll find lots of boutique shops and places to eat. For last minute supplies, there's a reasonable 24 hour shop on the main street corner. Between it and the hotel is a very popular barbecue place with a queue, open until 5am. They'll put anything in a baguette, though their English is very limited. The pool and gym looked like nice extras, though we didn't use them. We skipped breakfast, so can't comment on it. A few things could be better. It seemed the rooms were cleaned between guests but not during a stay. We asked housekeeping for a couple of extra things and they sorted it out, but it would be nice if they checked on towels, coffee, and tea. We only had one medium towel each, which seems especially limited with a pool available. There wasn't much space to hang them, so we left them on the chair by the window to dry and reuse. The shower had no screen, so the bathroom became a wet room, though it didn't seem designed for that and was a bit small. The bath mat got soaked and needed wringing out, then barely dried before the next day. One morning there was a strong cigarette smell in the bathroom, which I can only assume came through the ventilation duct. I know people still love a cigarette in France, but I don't want it in my room. The friendly, non-touristy feel of the area was a plus. Just don't expect the Hilton, and if something goes wrong, ask reception.

The staff were extremely friendly, the room and street were quiet, and the firm mattress and comfy pillows suited me well. I needed somewhere near La Timone hospital, so this location was ideal. They also agreed to cancel an extra night I'd paid for. All of that for 75 euros. Highly recommended.

Room 21 gives you a choice: open the window and listen to the pool machine all day and night, or switch on the AC and get the sound of an airplane cruising overhead. At least the noisy AC drowns out the neighbors' TV through the cardboard-thin wall. And if you forget to set an alarm, the breakfast preparations will wake you before 06:00 anyway. As for the promised gluten-friendly attention, it seemed to amount to plain yogurt and an egg.

The reception is staffed around the clock, and the gym is open 24/7. The hotel was lovely and clean, with plenty of places nearby to eat and drink. It’s easy to reach by tram, followed by a short walk. The receptionist spoke English very well. The pool is open from 9am to 8pm.