Massilia Hôtel

The Wi-Fi kept cutting out, the room was cramped with no room for luggage, and the toilet light didn’t work from 3 Aug to 5 Aug. The only ventilation came from the bathroom window. When we opened it between 9pm and 11pm, we could clearly hear a neighbor talking loudly. The location also felt unsafe, even around 8-9pm, especially if you were alone. I’ve travelled to many countries and have never given a one-star review before. If I could, I’d give minus 10. This was almost a nightmare, and it left me feeling that France, especially the staff at Massila hotel, was dishonest to visit. The hotel had advertised on Booking.com that both rooms had air conditioning. We checked in at 8pm on 3 Aug 2025, and staff said they’d get an electrician to fix it soon. Nobody came by 10pm. The remote control’s LED was lit, as the photo shows, but it seemed they were deliberately preventing guests from using the air conditioning in both rooms we booked. I reminded staff at 9.15am on 4 Aug, as shown in the picture below. They gave the same excuse, said they’d contact a technician and tell the boss. The same thing happened again on 5 Aug. I later saw reviews from other guests reporting the same excuse about informing the boss and calling an electrician, who never came. I felt the hotel was dishonest and irresponsible, and just trying to save on electricity.

The facilities were broken, and I don’t think the price was justified. The air conditioning promise turned out to be false, and opening the windows meant needing earplugs. I’d avoid this hotel if you can.

I booked through booking.com and called ahead to arrange late check-in, which the hotel confirmed. But when I arrived, they said they’d given the room to someone else and wouldn’t refund me. After I got there, they cancelled the booking on booking.com, claiming I hadn’t shown up, so I’d paid for a room I never received and got no money back. The manager was among the rudest people I’ve met while travelling. Others have described similar treatment, so it felt like a borderline scam to me. I’ve travelled around the world and this is only my second one-star review. I’d give zero if I could. Don’t be tempted by the price, and don’t use booking.com.

The staff member, a man around 50 who may be the manager or owner, was rude and didn’t know how to treat guests. I travel for work and stay in hotels once or twice a week. I was passing through Marseille, exhausted, with an early train the next morning, so I chose somewhere near the station. I’d seen bad reviews but thought they were exaggerated. I was wrong. I’ve never written a negative review before, not even about a hotel where I had to sleep in a jacket for €80 a night because the heating didn’t work. The manager or owner was aggressive and unreasonable, and I felt the hotel was unsafe. The rooms looked good only in the photos. Mine was disgusting and had no window except in the bathroom, so it was dark as a hole. The bathroom window faced a garbage dump with dirty socks, underwear, and other clothes, and a loud extractor fan buzzed there. I couldn’t sleep. The mattresses were terrible, the shower tiny even for me at 49 kg, and there was a steep staircase and broken elevator. The owner didn’t see these as problems. There was no luggage storage, and they suggested leaving bags on a chair in the dining area. The area felt dangerous, and I’d strongly advise girls not to stay here. This “hotel” doesn’t deserve 3 stars. After I posted a negative review on Booking.com, the manager cancelled my reservation even though I had stayed there. I got no refund because they treated it as a penalty for not checking in. That rudeness is why I’m leaving a review here too. It seems he does this often to stop the rating falling to the bottom. I sincerely don’t recommend this place to anyone.