Casa Serena Paris Hôtel

There wasn’t a kitchen or common room, and the elevator didn’t always work. We booked because we wanted to save money by making food, but there was nowhere to do that. Towels still cost 3,50€. The renovation was happening across the entire hostel, though the listing said nothing about it. The photos showed lockers and storage under the beds; we got neither. Workers brought lockers without locks at 10 am while three of us were asleep, with no knock or warning, talking loudly and making a mess. On weekdays the drilling started before 8am and sounded like it was right by or above my bed. The floor was only vacuumed now and then, never properly cleaned, and had renovation dust and workers’ footprints. There was mold by my bed, the socket was crooked and sparking, my mattress was way too short, and the beds squeaked if you breathed too hard. Booking.com got our complaint, but the hostel did nothing. Don’t stay here or trust the pictures. It looks nothing like them.

I stayed for a week while paying customers were living around a building being rebuilt from scratch. The work itself may be a good thing, but the hostel should have been closed for renovation. Hygiene was poor, security was practically nonexistent, and staff were absent. Still, when it was time to leave at 11:00 on checkout day, they were very professional about getting the room freed.

Please, please, don’t stay here. I’ve been in plenty of hotels and hostels with low scores, and nothing came close to this. Mold, a broken door frame, awful smell, construction noise in the morning and no service. You probably won’t be able to reach them. If you happen to find reception, they won’t help: “U have to solve that with boss, send an email.” The boss never replies, and Booking couldn’t get a response either. This feels like an absolute scam and a complete health hazard. It shouldn’t be allowed to operate as a hotel.

It’s 5 AM, and I’m stuck in the bathroom because the doorknob broke. I’m waiting for the police, and the accommodation owner isn’t answering the phone. I’ve been making noise, but nobody has come to help. I have a schedule today, but I can’t sleep while I’m trapped here. I never expected the knob to break, and I’m afraid they’ll charge me for repairs. I’m so angry.