De l'Aveyron

For the price, it’s very good value, mainly because the location is excellent and the metro is a five minute walk away. The staff are decent and welcoming, but don’t expect anything fancy. It’s a normal hotel, not even a three star one. The room is fine for sleeping and little else, there’s only heating and no air conditioning, and there’s no elevator. Still, as a cheap hotel in a perfect location, it’s very good value.

The staff were great, really nice and helpful, and the hotel is well located for Gare de Lyon. The room was disappointing, though. Ours was on the fifth floor, under the roof, with no elevator. The sheets and towels had stains, the floor wasn’t clean, and there was some rubbish left in the bedside table. It’s okay for a short stay, but not a good place to work, with only a tiny desk under the roof, or to spend time in the room.

For a fairly high price, we got a room that felt like it belonged in a horror movie. It was old, small, a bit dirty, and had no amenities at all. We didn’t have enough towels, and they didn’t replace them once they were dirty. I asked for a clean one and was given a towel with a dirty spot, so I had to ask again.

The location suited our quick stop between getting off a train from the south and taking the Eurostar the next morning. At about 6 a.m., though, a loud glugging sound woke us. Our shower filled with sewage and what looked like urine coming up from the drain. The staff let us use another shower in the morning, but seemed completely unbothered. They first refused a refund, then agreed to a “partial” refund but wouldn’t put anything in writing, so I’m not counting on receiving anything. The person who checked us in had been friendly and courteous. The staff we spoke to after the bathroom incident were extremely dismissive and rude.