Hôtel le 17

You can walk to the metro and Plaza de Republique, and there are lots of little cafes nearby for an inexpensive quick bite. This is a comfortable place for a frugal traveler who doesn’t want to spend a lot. It’s kid friendly too. Just know it isn’t luxurious, so it won’t suit you if that’s what you’re after.

I cancelled immediately and found another hotel, and I’m still waiting for the refund more than a month later. The hotel has avoided my calls and Booking.com, though the case has been escalated. I rarely write reviews, but this was probably the worst place I’ve ever stayed. The staff were hostile from the moment I arrived. There was no lift, just steep stairs, and I had to ask several times for help with my suitcases. Full bin bags were left outside my room. Inside, there was a pungent vinegar smell that made me feel sick. The shower was full of mold, and there was no handwash in the bathroom in the middle of a pandemic. When I asked the manager for some, I was told they didn’t have any and I could buy it at the pharmacy across the street. This hotel serves food, so how could there be no handwash anywhere in the building? I was disgusted. Avoid it if you value your health and money.

It’s a great place in a nice area, and the staff were super nice. They even let me check in a little early, which was great because I was exhausted. My only real drawback was the lack of an elevator. Be ready to climb stairs, so I wouldn’t recommend it for elderly people or anyone with a disability.

The room was comfortable, the location was great, and the stay itself was very nice. The staff were lovely in person, which made what happened with the payment especially disappointing. We were overcharged because of a booking error, and for months we tried to get it corrected and recover our money without success. The team was unresponsive and unhelpful by email and phone. Update 1/02/2020: Once they finally started replying, the staff were still unhelpful and began lying, claiming they had told us about the issue when we arrived. The manager eventually said they couldn’t refund us because too much time had passed, even though we tried to resolve it right after getting home. The place may be nice, but the staff are unreliable and untrustworthy.