hotelF1 Lille Métropole (Métro Mons Sarts)

We were excited about staying here, and the hostel was clean and well maintained. But during the night, someone tried several times to get into our room, knocking, trying the handle, and entering the pin. As two women travelling alone, we felt really unsafe. We called the front desk repeatedly, but nobody answered, which makes me wonder whether it really is staffed 24/7. This unfortunately spoiled our stay. If the hostel wants to get in touch, I can share the videos.

After checking in, we went out for dinner. When we got back, there were men outside smoking weed, standing in the middle of the road and refusing to move. I went inside, grabbed my case, and got out as fast as I could. I called my friends and told them there was no way we were staying. Even entering the car park had made me uneasy, with broken car window glass in some spaces, though I initially gave the place the benefit of the doubt. Shockingly bad.

The private room was very affordable, though the toilet and shower were shared. The showers are tiny, with little space to get changed, but there was a large sink in the room. Breakfast was OK. For a last-minute budget trip to Lille, the location worked well: two metro stops from the Eurostar station and about a five-minute walk from the metro. I arrived after 10pm on Saturday and checked in without any trouble, even though 24-hour check-in wasn't advertised. The receptionist spoke good English. Noise from other guests that first Saturday night interrupted my sleep, so bring earplugs for a weekend stay. It was quiet during the week. The room felt humid, but opening the window helped. I stayed from Saturday to Wednesday.

The room was tidy and the location was good, near the metro. The first room smelled of cigarette smoke, but I asked to switch and got another one right away. Good value for money.