Hôtel Maison Montgrand Marseille Vieux Port

We found the studio just right for our time in Marseille. It was easy to walk to nearby sights from there, and the staff were friendly. The price felt fair too. I'd happily come back and recommend it.

We could get on foot to the old town and port without being right in the middle of the tourist crowds. The hotel itself was a really nice experience, with lovely staff and a beautiful restaurant and lounge. Since it's set in old buildings, having elevators was especially useful for travelers carrying a bit more.

The Garden restaurant has a lovely setting and a good atmosphere, and the staff were friendly, though the service seemed undertrained. Our starters were strong: the car patio de loup and my beef tartare were both really good. The wine, though, didn't taste fresh, and I wondered if the bottle had been opened the day before. The main dishes were a different story. My tuna steak, ordered mi cuit, smelled strongly fishy, as if it might have been sitting in the fridge for days. The poitrine de veau confite I got was a tough, poor cut full of veins and cartilage, nothing like the tender slow-cooked dish it's meant to be. I couldn't find an edible part and sent it back. They apologized and took it off the bill. I said I didn't want another main because the dish had made me feel bad, but they didn't offer even a dessert or coffee. When the manager brought the check, we also had to point out that the 30% theFork discount hadn't been applied. The place and people are nice, but the food didn't meet Bistro comic standards for us. Pretty plating, disappointing taste.

The rooms and location were excellent. The lift is so narrow, though, that I'd take the stairs.