Best Western Plus Crystal, Hotel & Spa

We still stop here two or three times a year on our trips to the south and back, and we've never been disappointed. It's been our favorite hotel in France for a long time, even before the renovations took it from three-star to four-star status. The location is right in the center, yet surprisingly quiet. The service is friendly and incredibly helpful, and the refurbished rooms are beautifully appointed. Breakfast is incredible, with smoked salmon, crisp bread rolls, American pancakes, crepes and even panna cotta. Maybe the coffee could be better, but that's my only complaint. In the cooler months we have cocktails in the bar. Once summer comes, we head up to the roof for drinks. There's a spa too, though we haven't tried it yet. Maybe next time.

The rooms are quite small, but they're clean and well put together. Breakfast is top quality, and the service was always very friendly. The spa is nicely done, and the hamam and sauna are wow. The price worked for what we got. We'll come again.

I wouldn't recommend this place. The room wasn't clean enough, and the hairdryer didn't work when I needed it. There were also restrictions on spa and pool times that weren't made clear when booking. When I raised the issue, management got defensive and blamed Booking.com. The hotel should take responsibility for the information it gives guests. The service was poor, and it wasn't worth the money.

The hotel is in a convenient spot in central Nancy, but I'm giving it 3/5 because access to the spa was so limited. We chose it so the kids could use the pool, but in the end that was possible for only one hour. Children can use the spa and pool only from 8:00 to 10:00, which overlaps with breakfast and makes the schedule really tight. The facilities are small, and you have to book ahead, so there's not much flexibility for a relaxed holiday.