Hôtel Claret Bercy

Being near the metro was the only good thing. The building is very old, and the towels and sheets weren’t clean, even though they were changed every day. The atmosphere felt unwelcoming and isolated. This isn’t a three star hotel, and for me, it was a waste of money.

The one real plus is the location, right in front of Metro lines 14 and 6, which is handy for sightseeing and getting to the airport. Inside, everything felt tiny and cramped, from the elevator and hallways to the room. There were hardly any pillows, and without a shower curtain the bathroom floor got wet and slippery. The room was extremely basic and felt like a hospital ward. The hotel looks nothing like the online photos, inside or out. When I asked why my room was so different, the front desk employee said, “The American contractors delayed the renovation. The photos are mock-up images of the plan, and we just never took them down.” I found that misleading, close to a bait-and-switch.

The hotel isn’t wheelchair accessible. The area felt a little shady, but it’s very close to the metro. We stayed just one night because our train was leaving from gare de lyon. The service was good overall.

After an hour, I’d booked another hotel. This place should cost 50euro a night, and even then that feels like pushing it. I only chose it because it was 140euro a night and near the train. The hallways and elevator smelled rancid, something that seems fixable, though maybe they leave it as a warning. My room wasn’t clean: there was a jacket in the closet, a dusty, dirty dollar store fan, and a stained rug. The shower was covered in strange scuff marks. After travelling, I thought at least a shower would help, but it was just a hose coming low out of the wall, with no holder, curtain, or glass to contain the water. The head broke off the hose and sprayed water everywhere. The window faced noisy train tracks. I could ignore the noise, but I’m sure others might find it impossible. The area near Gare Lyon isn’t bad, though the particular street had some shady characters while I was there. Awful.